$ 


^ 


^ 


\A 


THE  NHiOapBTEB. — See  page  181. 


THE  NILOMETER 


THE     SACEED    SOIL: 


A    DIARY 


TOUR  THROUGH  EGYPT,  PALESTINE,  AND  SYRIA. 


Miss    KATE    KRAFT. 


„••„ 


NEW    YORK : 

Carleton,  Publisher,  Madison  Square. 

LONDON  :    S.  LOW,  SON  &  CO. 
M  DCCC  LXIX. 


Entered  aooording  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

GEO.  W.  CARLETON, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York. 


The  New  York  Printing  Company, 
8i,  83,  and  85  Centre  Street, 

Nnw  York. 


To 
JUDGE   H.    H.    GOODMAN, 

AS  A  MARK  OP 

FRIENDSHIP  AND  ESTEEM, 

THIS  BOOK  IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED, 


BY  THE 


t.akt,  George,  Sept.  16,  1869. 


AUTHORESS. 


PBOLOGUE. 


In  presenting  this  little  work  for  the  perusal  of  my  friends, 
I  beg  to  remind  them  that  I  have,  as  nearly  as  was  consistent, 
adhered  to  the  original  design  of  giving  a  "diary"  describing 
the  manner  of  "living"  and  method  of  "travelling"  on  the 
Nile  and  through  Syria,  rather  than  entering  deeply  into  inci- 
dents connected  with  the  history  of  those  countries. 

To  those  more  inclined  to  Biblical  lore  and  the  study  of 
antiquities,  the  Bible  will  furnish  sufficient  food  for  the  Holy 
Land,  while  the  profound  researches  of  Wilkinson,  Lane,  and 
others,  will  go  far  to  satisfy  the  curious  on  the  statistics  and 
archasology  of  Egypt. 

This  interesting  route  of  travel  becoming  more  frequented, 
and  consequently  better  understood,  each  succeeding  year,  natu- 
rally excites  the  curiosity  of  those  having  the  hope  of  "doing" 
it  yet  in  store ;  and,  as  a  sequence,  comes  the  question :  How 
to  do  it? 

The  great  point  is  to  obtain  a  good  dragoman  ;  and,  if  for- 
tune favors  you  in  this  particular,  the  success  of  your  voyage 
is  almost  assured  ;  whereas  the  constant  annoyances  and  dis- 
satisfaction arising  from  having  a  bad  one  will  poison,  if  not 
mar,  all  your  joyous  anticipations. 

Thus,  on  the  Nile,  we  were  happy  in-  the  selection  of 
Mohammed-el-Adli,  an  Egyptian,  who,  we  think,  has  not  his 
superior ;   but  it  was  far  different  in  Syria. 

The  dragoman  engaged  for  this  part  of  the  route,  a  Syrian 
named  Joseph  Mook,  but  for  good  and  sufficient  reasons  best 
known  to  himself,  had  found  it  necessary  to  call  himself  Joseph 


IV  PROLOGUE. 

Carem,*  gave  us  much  trouble;  and  it  was  only  through  the 
conciliatory  tact  and  management  of  Mr.  Ferris  that  we  succeeded 
in  getting  on. 

Very  little  is  necessary  to  take  with  you  from  Europe.  Arms 
and  ammunition  excepted,  I  know  of  nothing  that  cannot  be 
found  either  at  Alexandria  or  Cairo. 

A  small  supply  of  lettuce,  parsley,  and  radish  seed  might  be 
advantageously  taken  from  Paris,  and  grown  "on  the  boat"  in 
board  troughs  arranged  on  the  quarter-deck ;  and,  in  addition 
to  the  "stock"  a  supply  of  rockets  and  Roman  candles,  obtain- 
able in  Alexandria,  would  prove  agreeable  additions  for  grand 
occasions. 

The  necessity  of  publication  was  entirely  an  after-thought;  as 
the  idea  fofced  itself  upon  my  mind  that,  with  only  my  written 
volume,  a  year's  loaning  would  scarcely  suffice  to  satisfy  the 
demands  of  my  numerous  friends. 

There  are  probably  irregularities  of  language,  and  phrases 
decidedly  "Frenchy"  for  which  I  beg  their  indulgence,  as  there 
must  always  be  more  or  less  surrounding  difficulties  for  one 
writing  in  a   "foreign  tongue." 

*  This  man  had  commendatory  letters  from  a  gentleman  of  BostoD,  containing 
more  religion  than  truth,  which  completely  led  us  astray. 


INDEX. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGB 

Departure   from  Paris — Mont  Cenis  in  a  Snow-Storm — Turin — 

Bologna — Brindisi — Thence  to  Alexandria 9-24 

CHAPTER  II. 

Alexandria  in  Egypt — Our  Dragoman — Examining  the  Dahabeehs 

— Cleopatra's  Needles — Pompey's  Pillar — Dogs 25-32 

CHAPTER  III. 

Alexandria  to  Cairo — The  Delta — Pigeon  Village — Charter  of 
Vessel  for  Voyage  on  the  Nile — The  Contract — The  Cita- 
del—Old Cairo 33-43 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Cairo — Its  Mosques — Bazars — The  Pyramids — The   Tombs  and 

Sphinx — Heliopolis — The  Dervishes 44-59 

CHAPTER  V. 

Our  Dahabeeh — Its  Crew — The  Start — First  Days  on  the  Nile — 
Christmas  Illumination  —  A  Dangerous  Weapon — Competi- 
tion—Washing-Day   , 60-70 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Voyage  up  the  Nile — Races  with  the  Estella  and  the  Crocodile — 
Excursions  on  Shore — Egyptians  as  they  are — Meeting  other 
Boats — Excitement  on  Board — Is  it  a  Crocodile  or  Lizard  ? — 
Arrival  at  Thebes — Grand  Illumination — One  Hundred  and 
Ten  Red,  White,  and  Blue  Lanterns — Mustapha  Aga 71-88 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Arrival  at  Esneh — Its  Temple  Three  Thousand  Years  Old — City 
of  Assouan — Island  of  Elephantine — Statue  of  an  Egyptian 
King — Passage  of  the  First  Cataract  —  Three  Hundred 
Nubians  employed  to  pull  our  Boat  through  the  Rapids — 
Arrival  at  Philas 89-105 


VI  INDEX. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

PAOB 

Continuation  of  Voyage  up  the  Nile — Lady  Duff  Gordon — Arrival 
at  Wadi-Halfah — Arab  Dance — Cataract  of  Batn-el-Hagar — 
Down  Stream — Temples  of  Ferayg  and  Abou  Simbel — Arri- 
val at  Derr — Nubian  Wedding — Temple  of  Heron— Temple 
of  Amada,  built  b.  c.  2700 — Temple  at  Dakkeh — Kalabcheh, 
its  Temple 106-118 

CHAPTER   IX 

Philse,  Beautiful  Philse  !  —  Baron  Hubner  —  Temple  of  Isis  — 
Mementos  of  the  French  Army  —  An  American  Party  — 
Impressions — Exciting  Descent  of  the  Cataract — Assouan  — 
American  Consul — Mussulman  Sunday — Gebel  Silsileh — Tem- 
ple of  Edfou— El-Kab— Errnent— Thebes  again 119-135 

CHAPTER  X. 

Thebes — Temples  of  Medinet-Abou — Ramesium — Colossal  Statue 
of  Rameses — The  Vocal  Memnon — An  Adventure — Koornah 
— Assasoef — Dayr-el-Bahree — Djalma — His  Home — Washing- 
ton's Birthday — Illumination 136-155 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Still  in  Thebes— Valley  of  Biban-el-Molouk— Tombs  of  the  Kings 
— Petrified  Clams — Great  Sarcophagus  —  Belzoni's  Tomb — 
Harper's  Tomb  —  The  Philosopher's  Mistake  —  Karnak  by 
Moonlight — Temple  of  Luxor  —  Departure  from  Thebes  — 
Denderah — Dancing-Girls  of  Kenneh 156-167 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Abydos  —  The  Cliffs  of  Gebel-Sheick- Heredee  —  Orange  and 
Lemon  Groves — A  Long  Pull — Siout — Stabl-Antar — American 
Consul — Gebel -Aboofayda — Roda — The  Palace — Tombs  of 
Beni-Hassan  —  Minieh  —  Departure  of  Mr.  R.  — Benesoef — 
Floating  Down— Aground — Memphis — Tombs  of  the  Appis — 
Serapium 168-180 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Island  of  Rhoda — The  "  Nilometer" — Fatima — Woman's  Rights — 
Good-by  to  our  Crew  —  In  Cairo  again — Departure  from 
Alexandria — Port  Said — Suez  Canal^Jaffa — The  Convent — 
The  Camp  —  House  of  Simon  the  Tanner  —  Selection  of 
Horses—"  The  Sacred  Soil " 181-194 


INDEX.  Vll 

CHAPTER  XTV. 

PAGE 

Our  Caravan — Plain  of  Sharon — Lydda — Birthplace  of  St. 
George — An  Accident — Ramleh — Mountains  of  Judea — Abou- 
Goch — David  and  Goliah — Mount  of  Olives — Bad  Water — 
Jerusalem 195-206 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Garden  of  Gethsemane — Grotto  of  Agony — Tomb  of  the  Virgin — 
House  of  Mary's  Parents — Procession  for  Mecca/ — Via  Dolo- 
rosa— House  of  Pilate — Ecce  Homo — Houses  of  Veronica  and 
the  Wandering  Jew — Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre — The 
Tomb— Chapel  of  the  True  Cross — Calvary — Palm-Sunday — 
On  the  Walls— Lepers 207-215 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Tomb  of  the  Virgin — Tombs  of  the  Prophets — Siloam — Fountain 
of  the  Virgin — Pool  of  Siloam — Mount  Zion — Tomb  of  David 
— Wailing-Place  of  the  Jews — Quarries — Joab's  Well — Pales- 
tine Explorations  —  The  Spring  of  the  Arch  —  Tyropoean 
Valley — Ancient  Halls  and  Aqueducts 216-226 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Mosque  of  Omar — Mosque  of  El-Axa — Solomon's  Temple — Greek 
Fire — Rachel's  Tomb — Hebron — Cave  of  Machpelah — Tomb 
of  Abraham  and  Sarah — Abraham's  Oak — Pools  of  Solomon 
—Bethlehem— Church  of  the  Nativity— Birth  of  Christ.  .227-239 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Convent  of  Mar-Saba — Shawaal — Arab  Horsemanship — Dead  Sea 
—  Jordan  —  Pilgrim's  Pass  —  Jericho  —  Fountain  of  Elisha — 
Return  to  Jerusalem 240-251 

CHAPTER  XIX 

Bethel  —  Jacob's  Dream  —  Shiloh — Naplouse — Sichem — Sychar — 
The  Woman  of  Samaria — Mounts  Ebal  and  Gerizim — Sebastia 
— Samaria — Jezebel — Sepulchre  of  St.  John  the  Baptist— 
Dothan — Djenin — The  Marseillaise — A  Storm — "  Sir,  your 
Revolver,  the  Bedouins !  " 252-265 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Province  of  Galilee — Plain  of  Esdraelon — Mount  Carmel — The 
Deserters — "The  Turkey  ate  it,  Sir'' — Nazareth— Church 
of  the  Annunciation — Joseph's  Workshop — Fountain  of  the 
Virgin— Rhapsody  and  Facts  —  Cana  —  Plain  of  Hattin  — 
Tiberiade— Sea  of  Galilee .266-278 


V1U  INDEX. 

CHAPTER  XXL 

PAGE 

Capernaum  —  Hospitality — Saf ed — Kedesh — Upper  Jordan — Dan 
■ — Banias — A  Cold  Day  on  Hermon — Kefr-Haour — Tomb  of 
Nimrod— Damascus — The  Abana  and  the  Pharpar — Naaman 
the  Leper — Old  Acquaintances— The  Crooked  Street  called 
Straight — Massacre  of  Druses  and  Maronites 279-290 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Balbek 291-306 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Beyrout — The  Steamer — Retrospect — Rhodes — Smyrna — Ephesus 
—  Constantinople  —  St.  Sophia  —  Bosphorus  —  Black  Sea — 
Golden  Horn  and  Sweet  Waters — Athens — The  Acropolis — 
Parthenon — Eleusis— Messina 307-316 


INDEX  TO  PLATES. 

The  Kilometer Frontispiece. 

"  The  Oriental" 73 

Island  of  Philas 119 

Temple  of  Isis 125 

Absalom's  Tomb 218 


THE  NILOMETEE 


AND 


THE   SACKED    SOIL. 


CHAPTER  I. 


DEPARTURE   FROM   PARIS — MONT  CENTS  IN  A   SNOW-STORM— 

TURIN — BOLOGNA BRINDISI — THENCE     TO    ALEXANDRIA, 

EGYPT. 

Paris,  December  1,  1867. 
GAJjST  gone  !  For  two  months  and  a  half  we 
have  enjoyed  our  temporary  home  in  dear 
Paris.  The  last  week  has  been  employed 
in  preparing  for  our  long  journey  to  the 
East,  and  this  morning  at  ten  o'clock  we  left  the  Rue  St. 
Honore  for  the  chemin  de  fer  de  1'Ouest,  and  arrived 
at  half-past  ten,  where  we  found  Mr.  Rogers,  our  tra- 
velling companion,  waiting  for  us.  Our  party  of  four, 
consisting  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  T.  Ferris,  of  ISTew 
York  (my  brother-in-law  and  sister),  J.  S.  Rogers,  of 
Paterson,  New  Jersey,  and  myself,  are  anticipating 
much  pleasure  from  the  glorious  future.  Aline  and 
1* 


10  THE   NILOMETER   AND   TIIE    SACKED   SOIL. 

Tom  (Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferris)  met  Mr.  Rogers  about  two 
weeks  since,  during  a  visit  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  E. 
Donnelly,  and  hearing  of  our  intention  to  leave  Paris 
shortly  for  Egypt,  manifested  a  desire  to  join  us,  and 
coming  the  next  day  to  look  at  out  itinerary,  felt  much 
pleased  with  the  splendid  trip  we  were  about  to  com- 
mence. So  it  was  settled  that  he  should  leave  Paris 
with  us,  and  take  the  same  steamer  at  Brindisi  for 
Alexandria.  At  a  quarter  to  eleven  Messrs.  Chagot 
and  Lavigne,  of  Paris,  came  to  wish  us  a  safe  journey, 
and  remained  until  the  last  moment ;  new  friends  as 
they  are,  it  was  with  regret  we  left  them  behind.  Often 
will  we  remember  the  kindness  they  have  shown  us 
during  our  stay  in  Paris.  The  weather  is  dark  and 
gloomy  ;  it  rains  ;  yet  the  day  has  passed  very  rapidly. 
Mr.  Rogers  seems  to  be  very  agreeable  and  obliging. 
"We  have  read  this  morning  the  newspapers  sent  by 
Mr.  W.  Warren,  from  Boston,  containing  an  account 
of  his  voyage  in  Egypt,  and  which  we  all  found  highly 
interesting.  We  feel  quite  enthusiastic  at  the  idea  that 
we  are  going  to  tread  the  same  ground  so  vividly  de- 
scribed by  that  gentleman.  We  took  our  dinner  in  the 
cars,  prepared  by  our  cook  in  Paris  the  day  before,  and 
arrived  at  eight  o'clock  in  Macon,  Lamartine's  birth- 
place. My  thoughts  have  been  often  with  him  the  past 
few  days.  As  a  young  girl,  I  remember  in  reading  his 
travels  to  the  East  how  much  I  envied  him.  I  never 
thought  that  the  time  would  come  when  I  also  would 
be  one  of  those  happy  few  who  have  the  good  fortune 
to  be  able  to  roam  through  those  sacred  countries. 
At  last  we  have  arrived  at  the  Hotel  des   Champs 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  11 

Elysees,  a  very  plain  house,  but  the  rooms  very  clean. 
Here  we  met  with  an  American  gentleman,  Mr.  O'Hara 
from  Philadelphia,  travelling  with  his  wife,  and  whose 
destination  is  Rome. 

Monday,  December  2. 

We  were  up  at  half-past  four  this  morning,  and  at  six 
o'clock  left  Macon  for  St.  Michel,  where  we  were  to 
take  the  diligence  to  cross  Mont  Cenis.  We  reached 
that  place  at  half-past  twelve;  the  weather  being  in- 
tensely cold.  After  warming  ourselves  by  a  good  fire 
we  partook  of  dinner,  and  at  half-past  one  Aline,  Tom, 
and  I  took  our  places  in  the  coupe  of  the  diligence, 
Mr.  Rogers  having  a  seat  in  the  interior.  Notwith- 
standing the  snow,  which  had  commenced  to  fall,  we 
soon  felt  very  comfortable,  being  warmly  wrapped  up 
in  cloaks,  shawls,  and  blankets,  and  having  hot  water- 
cases  at  our  feet.  The  diligence  was  crowded.  On 
the  banquette  were  eight  men,  among  whom  were 
several  soldiers  going  to  rejoin  the  Garibaldian  army. 
They  were  very  gay  and  patriotic,  singing  part  of  the 
time,  and  when  passing  through  villages  receiving 
marks  of  sympathy  from  the  people  standing  in  front  of 
their  doors.  Being  comfortably  settled  in  our  coupe, 
we  soon  began  to  appreciate  the  beautiful  scenery  un- 
folding itself  before  our  eyes.  It  is  said  that  few  scenes 
can  be  more  astonishing  or  more  truly  sublime  than 
that  presented  to  travellers  crossing  Mont  Cenis;  but 
how  much  more  grand  does  it  appear  viewing  it  as  we 
then  did,  a  real  winter  scene,  the  snow  falling  rapidly, 
and  covering  the  mountains  with  its  white  mantle,  con- 


12  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

trasting  beautifully  with  the  rich  dark  green  of  the  fir ; 
the  villages  strewed  here  and  there,  sometimes  in  the 
valley,  sometimes  on  the  mountain  side,  and  inviting  the 
eye  to  a  quiet  repose  after  having  wandered  so  long  on 
the  peaks  of  these  high  Alps.  It  is  supposed  that  Pompey 
was  the  first  person  who  attempted  a  passage  over  this 
Alp ;  but  it  was  not  until  the  time  of  Napoleon  that  a 
roadway  was  completed,  who,  in  1810,  ordered  this  stu- 
pendous undertaking  to  be  executed,  employing  no  less 
than  three  thousand  workmen,  at  a  cost  of  eight  millions 
of  francs.  At  eight  o'clock  we  arrived  at  Lanslebourg, 
where  the  real  ascent  of  Mont  Cenis  commences.  The 
snow  was  falling  faster  and  faster,  the  wind  increas- 
ing in  violence;  eight  horses  were  put  to  our  dili- 
gence ;  night  had  come,  and  the  road  was  only  lighted 
up  by  a  reflector  lamp,  fixed  in  front  of  the  carriage. 
What  a  strange  music  the  wind  made,  howling  terribly, 
and  dashing  the  snow  violently  against  our  window- 
panes,  which  were  soon  entirely  covered.  To  attain 
the  most  elevated  part  of  our  route  needed  four  more 
horses,  twelve  in  all.  It  is  a  plain,  six  miles  in  length, 
encircled  by  the  loftiest  peaks  of  Cenis,  and  embel- 
lished with  a  beautiful  lake,  whose  water  in  summer- 
time reflects  the  surrounding  heights.  Here,  before 
commencing  the  descent,  ten  horses  were  taken  away, 
only  two  being  left  to  the  diligence.  I  was  sorry 
it  was  night,  as  the  descent  into  Italy  is  much  finer 
than  the  ascent  from  Savoy  ;  the  road  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  Forca  and  the  St.  Gothard,  which  we 
passed  last  summer.  The  first  gallery  which  presents 
itself  is  six  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  and  cut  in 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL.  13 

several  places  through,  solid  rocks  of  granite.  We  had 
hardly  begun  the  descent  when,  all  at  once,  and  as  we 
were  commencing  to  sleep,  the  diligence  gave  a  sudden 
and  tremendous  lurch,  and  lo !  we  were  all  on  one  side 
of  the  road.  This  was  enough  to  awaken  the  whole 
party.  The  wind  was  blowing  so  terribly  that  we  were 
not  certain  but  that  the  horses,  carriage,  and  all  would 
be  precipitated  into  the  abyss.  The  drivers  were  swearing 
to  their  hearts'  content,  the  poor  horses  were  doing  their 
best  to  recover  the  level  of  the  road,  and  the  travellers 
were  asking  themselves  if  they  would  not  be  obliged  to 
regain  the  last  post-house  and  pass  the  night  as  well  as 
they  could.  At  last  the  drivers  did  what  they  ought 
to  have  done  in  the  beginning — put  more  horses  on ;  and 
after  a  delay  of  five  minutes  more,  we  were  en  route  again, 
descending  with  a  frightful  rapidity  all  the  curves  of  the 
mountain.  But  that  night  it  was  ordained  that  every- 
thing should  be  against  us,  for  the  wind  blew  our  light 
out,  and  we  were  enveloped  in  total  darkness.  We 
stopped  half  an  hour,  the  drivers  taking  all  that  time  to 
go  to  some  neighboring  house  and  have  their  lamp 
lighted  again,  and  also  probably  warming  themselves. 
Poor  fellows !  I  do  not  wonder  they  felt  the  cold,  as 
we  heard  that  it  was  the  first  snow-storm  of  the  season, 
and  they  were  not  yet  accustomed  to  it ;  even  our  win- 
dows were  all  frozen  up.  Well,  now  that  we  are  all  right 
again,  let  us  pursue  our  way.  Down,  down,  down — if 
the  horses  were  to  stumble  what  would  become  of  us ! 
Half  an  hour's  descent  brought  a  complete  change  in  the 
temperature.  Our  windows  became  clear,  the  snow 
ceased  falling,  the  wind  subsided,  and  soon  after  we  had 


14:  THE   NILOMETER   AND    THE    SACKED    SODL. 

the  moon  shining  in  our  faces,  and  the  stars  looking  at 
us  with  their  bright  and  lustrous  eyes.  After  passing 
the  plain  of  St.  Nicholas  is  a  gallery  above  two  thousand 
feet  in  length,  and  cut  through  remarkably  hard  rocks. 
Here  a  wall  of  nine  feet  in  height  and  six  hundred  in 
extent  defends  the  gallery  from  earth  and  loose  stones. 
It  was  half-past  one  in  the  morning  when  we  arrived  at 
Suza,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  Here  a  new  annoy- 
ance was  in  store  for  us — the  custom-house — and  all  our 
bago-ao-e  was  examined.  Our  intention  was  to  take  the 
train  for  Turin,  but  being  too  late,  we  decided  to  go  to 
some  hotel,  pass  the  night  as  well  as  we  could,  and  take 
the  ten  o'clock  train  in  the  morning  for  that  city.  In- 
tensely cold,  and  at  half-past  two  in  the  morning,  we 
were  drumming  with  all  our  strength  at  the  Hotel  de 
France,  a  poor  and  gloomy-looking  house.  After  having 
waited  for  about  ten  minutes,  the  door  was  opened  and 
we  were  conducted  to  two  rooms.  Being  tired  we  soon 
fell  asleep,  and  only  awoke  at  half-past  nine. 

Tuesday,  December,  3. 
We  hurried  our  dressing,  but  were  ten  minutes  too  late 
when  we  arrived  at  the  station,  and  there  was  no  other 
train  until  4.50  in  the  afternoon.  We  breakfasted  at  the 
station,  and  afterwards  seated  ourselves  before  a  bright  and 
comfortable  fire.  At  twelve  o'clock  I  went  out  with  Mr. 
Rogers,  and  took  a  walk  of  three  miles,  passing  through 
two  or  three  Italian  villages.  The  weather  was  cold  but 
dry,  with  a  blue  sky  overhead.  The  sun  shining  on  the 
snow-clad  mountains  gave  a  very  pretty  effect  to  the  sce- 
nery.   At  4.50  we  left  Suza  for  Turin,  and  at  seven  o'clock 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  15 

were  luxuriously  installed  in  a  beautiful  apartment  at  the 
Hotel  de  l'Europe.  One  drawback  to  our  anticipations 
was,  that  we  had  thought  to  find  summer  here,  whereas 
the  streets  were  all  white  with  snow.  "We  passed  the 
evening  near  our  fire,  playing  oezique. 

Wednesday,  December  4. 
Did  not  get  up  this  morning  until  ten  o'clock.  Tom 
and  Aline  having  visited  Turin  two  years  ago  remained 
at  home.  Mr.  Rogers  and  I  took  a  guide  and  visited 
the  Palazzo  Royal.  It  is  located  in  the  centre  of  the 
city,  in  the  Piazzi  di  Castello,  a  large,  elegant  square. 
Like  all  other  palaces,  the  apartments  are  large  and  rich- 
ly adorned.  There  are  many  paintings  ;  some  of  Titian, 
Guercino,  Albani,  and  Murillo.  In  the  entrance,  as 
you  ascend  the  new  and  beautiful  staircase,  only  finished 
last  year,  in  honor  of  the  king  of  Portugal,  is  a  very  fine 
equestrian  statue  of  Amadeus  I.  The  royal  chapel  is 
also  very  handsome  ;  it  contains  among  others  a  statue 
of  Carlo  Alberto,  father  of  the  present  king,  and  one  of 
Yictor  Emmanuel's  wife,  who  died  in  1856,  and  is 
buried  in  the  church  of  La  Superga.  It  is  said  she  died 
heart-broken,  and  indeed  her  statue  looks  like  desola- 
tion itself.  Prom  the  chapel  we  had  a  fine  view  of  the 
Duomo,  which  is  the  oldest  of  the  sacred  buildings  of 
Turin.  It  was  commenced  about  the  year  602,  by  Agy- 
lulph,  king  of  the  Lombards,  the  interior  of  which  is 
decorated  with  frescoes.  From  the  Royal  Palace  we 
went  to  the  Armoria  Regia,  which  adjoins  it.  Amongst 
the  curiosities  is  the  cuirass  worn  by  Prince  Eugene  at 
the  battle  of  Turin  ;  also  a  full  suit  of  Duke  Emmanuel 


16  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SODL. 

Filiberto,  worn  at  the  battle  of  St.  Quintin ;  a  great 
many  flags,  some  from  Solferino ;  others  beautifully 
worked  and  presented  by  the  ladies  of  Modena,  Parma, 
Milan,  etc.,  to  Victor  Emmanuel  when  he  was  named 
king  of  Italy.  The  Parliament  House,  which  we  next 
visited,  is  much  inferior  to  the  Parliament  House  in 
London,  although  the  gallery  of  paintings  contains  a 
fine  collection.  Among  the  most  valuable  is  the  Ma- 
donna della  Tenta,  on  wood,  by  Raphael ;  Pharaoh's 
Daughter  finding  Moses,  by  Paul  Veronese ;  the  Four 
Elements  and  a  Holy  Family,  by  Vandyck.  Something 
that  interested  us  much  in  the  Museum  of  Antiquity 
was  a  plan  of  Jerusalem,  with  all  the  monuments  yet 
remaining  in  the  city.  At  the  Palais  Carignan  we  saw 
the  room  where  King  Victor  Emmanuel  was  born.  The 
church  del  Corpus  Domini,  which  formerly  belonged  to 
the  Jesuits,  is  very  beautiful ;  the  interior,  both  walls 
and  columns,  are  all  in  marble  and  richly  decorated. 
We  afterwards  took  a  carriage,  and  passing  through  all 
the  principal  streets,  the  Piazza  di  San  Carlo,  and  the 
Piazza  Victor  Emmanuel,  went  to  the  public  promen- 
ade (beautiful  alleys  of  old  trees  along  the  Po),  whence 
we  had  a  magnificent  view  of  the  Alps  ! 

"  Who  first  beholds  those  everlasting  clouds, 
Seedtime  and  harvest,  morning,  noon,  and  night 
Still  where  they  were,  steadfast,  immovable  ; 
Who  first  beholds  the  Alps,  that  mighty  chain 
Of  mountains  stretching  on  from  east  to  west 
So  massive,  yet  so  shadowy,  so  ethereal, 
As  to  belong  rather  to  heaven  than  earth, 
But  instantly  receives  into  his  soul 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  17 

A  sense,  a  feeling  that  he  loses  not, 

A  something  that  informs  him  'tis  a  moment 

Whence  he  may  date  henceforward  and  forever. 

"  To  me  they  seemed  the  barriers  of  a  world, 
Saying  Thus  far,  no  farther !  and  as  o'er 
The  level  plain  I  travelled  silently, 
bearing  them  more  and  more  day  after  day, 
My  wandering  thoughts  my  only  company, 
And  they  before  me  still,  oft  as  I  looked 
A  strange  delight,  mingled  with  fear,  came  o'er  me, 
A  wonder  as  at  things  I  had  not  heard  of; 
Oft  as  I  looked  I  felt  as  though  it  were 
Tor  me  the  first  time." 


We  regained  our  hotel  at  half-past  four,  delighted 
with  our  day's  work,  and  waited  patiently  for  Tom  and 
Aline,  who  had  gone  out  shopping.  At  half-past  five 
we  dined,  and  the  weather  being  fine,  we  afterwards 
took  a  walk  through  the  Arcades,  which  were  brilliantly 
illuminated,  and  give  a  strange  but  pleasing  aspect  to 
the  streets. 

Thursday,  December  5. 

"We  left  Turin  for  Bologna  at  a  quarter  of  eight  in  the 
morning,  and  arrived  there  at  three  in  the  afternoon. 
The  weather  is  very  damp  and  rainy.  On  our  road  we 
passed  Parma,  Modena,  also  the  battle-field  of  Marengo, 
and  from  the  cars  could  see  the  fortifications.  It  was 
raining  very  hard  when  we  arrived  at  Bologna.  The 
city,  with  its  low  arcades,  its  narrow  streets,  its  windows 
with  iron  railings,  has  a  dark  and  gloomy  appearance, 


18  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

impressing  one  with  a  feeling  of  sadness.  As  the 
evening  arrived  before  we  had  finished  our  dinner,  we 
postponed  until  the  following  day  our  visit  to  the 
churches,  public  monuments,  and  institutions. 

Friday,  December  6. 
The  weather  was  very  cloudy  all  the  morning.  "We 
first  visited  St.  Petronius'  Church,  which  was  com- 
menced in  1390,  and  is  built  in  the  Tuscan-Gothic 
style.  It  is  three  hundred  and  eighty  feet  long,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty-six  wide ;  the  chapels  which 
surround  it  show  signs  of  handsome  frescoes,  but  are 
very  much  faded.  The  handsomest  one  is  that  of  the 
Bachiochi,  where  Elise  Bonaparte  and  her  children  are 
buried.  On  one  side  she  stands  hand  in  hand  with  her 
husband,  while  angels  are  crowning  them,  and  on  the 
other  are  her  four  children.  They  are  all  life-size,  cut  in 
beautiful  white  marble,  the  work  of  the  two  Franzoni. 
On  the  floor  of  the  church  is  the  meridional  line,  traced 
by  the  astronomer  Cassini  in  1653.  I  observed  par- 
ticularly the  canopy  of  the  choir,  where  the  last  German 
emperor,  Charles  Y.,  was  crowned  by  Pope  Clement  VII. 
We  next  visited  the  ancient  University,  founded  in  1119 
by  "Wernerus,  called  Suvena  Juris.  Upon  entering  you 
find  yourself  in  a  square  court,  with  double  arcades, 
having  what  appeared  to  be  tombs  on  each  side,  with  the 
armorial  bearings  of  the  families  and  inscriptions  to 
their  memory.  We  thought  at  first  that  we  were  in  the 
Campo  Santo,  but  the  guide  informed  us  there  were  no 
bodies  buried  here.  All  the  inscriptions  around  us 
were   only   marks    of  honor  to   the   celebrated   dead. 


THE   KILOMETER    ASTD   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  19 

The  chapel  has  some  beautiful  frescoes.  We  went 
through  the  library,  containing  two  hundred  thousand 
volumes,  and  saw  also  a  fine  collection  of  antiquities. 
Bologna  ranks  among  the  first  cities  of  Italy  in  her 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  The  principal  gems  in  the 
collection  are  St.  Cecilia  in  Ecstasies,  by  Raphael ;  the 
Death  of  St.  Peter  and  the  Martyrdom  of  St.  Agnes,  by 
Domenichino;  Samson  Destroying  the  Philistines,  the 
Madonna  della  Pieta,  and  the  Massacre  of  the  Inno- 
cents, all  three  by  Guido.  Before  going  back  to  the 
hotel  we  went  to  look  at  the  two  leaning  towers, — 
when,  by  whom,  or  for  what  purpose  built,  no  one  now 
knows. 

Saturday,  December  7. 
We  left  Bologna  yesterday  at  four  p.m.  for  Brindisi. 
Having  to  pass  the  night  in  the  cars,  we  were  glad  to 
encounter  two  very  agreeable  travelling  companions  :  an 
Italian  gentleman, -speaking  French  and  English  very 
fluently,  and  an  English  gentleman,  Mr.  Wales,  going 
to  Calcutta  by  way  of  Alexandria,  and  taking  the  same 
steamer  as  ourselves  from  Brindisi.  The  afternoon  and 
evening  passed  pleasantly,  talking  on  different  topics, 
particularly  of  France,  England,  and  Italy.  Aline  and 
I,  having  each  two  seats,  could  lie  almost  as  well  as  in 
a  bed,  and  slept  very  comfortably  until  morning.  The 
hotels  are  miserable  in  this  part  of  Italy;  for  breakfast  that 
morning  we  had  to  content  ourselves  with  an  execrable 
cup  of  coffee  and  bread,  the  butter  not  being  fit  to  eat. 
We  arrived  in  Brindisi  at  half-past  twelve,  and  had  to  cross 
the  whole  city  on  foot  to  go  to  the  agency  for  our  tickets. 


20  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

It  is  a  very  ancient  town,  having  a  great  many  Roman 
remains,  but  particularly  poor,  ugly,  and  dirty ;  and  the 
number  of  paupers  is  so  great  that  before  we  left  the  shore 
we  were  surrounded  by  quite  an  army  of  them.  After 
much  difficulty  in  obtaining  our  billets,  we  hired  a  boat 
to  convey  us  to  the  steamer,  which  is  named  the 
Principe  Tomasso,  and  is  very  small.  We  have  the 
best  cabin  on  board,  situated  on  deck,  and  aired  by 
three  windows,  Tom  having  paid  one  hundred  francs 
extra  for  it.  The  captain  is  an  Italian,  with  a  pleasant 
countenance,  a  counterpart  to  that  of  the  doctor,  who, 
not  having  any  patients  to  take  care  of,  employs  his 
time  in  attentions  to  the  ladies.  There  are  very  few 
passengers,  and  bat  two  ladies  besides  Aline  and  myself. 
One  is  from  Boston,  and  going  with  her  husband  to 
Calcutta ;  and  the  other  is  an  Italian  countess.  The  rest 
of  the  passengers  are  chiefly  English,  and  their  desti- 
nation is  Bombay.  We  remained  on  deck  all  the 
afternoon,  but  the  weather  was  cold  and  cloudy.  At 
four  we  took  dinner  with  good  appetite,  but  afterwards 
the  sea  became  rough  and  compelled  us  to  take  to  our 
berths,  being  overcome  by  sea-sickness. 

Sunday,  December  8. 
All  very  sick  until  noon ;  the  waves  were  very 
heavy,  the  boat  too  narrow,  and  rolling  from  side  to 
side.  What  an  awful  feeling  is  sea-sickness  !  It  takes 
all  one's  strength  and  spirit  away.  Lying  languidly  in 
our  rocking-chairs,  wrapped  up  in  shawls  and  blankets, 
the  Grecian  Islands  have  passed  before  us  without  ex- 
citing any  of  those  feelings  of  emotion  which  inspired 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL.  21 

Byron  to  write  his  beautiful  verses  ;  and  it  was  not  until 
the  following  day,  when  the  sea  became  calm  and  sick- 
ness had  passed,  that  I  could  enjoy  their  reading. 

THE  ISLES   OF  GREECE. 

"  The  isles  of  Greece,  the  isles  of  Greece, 
"Where  burning  Sappho  loved  and  sung, 

"Where  grew  the  arts  of  war  and  peace, 
Where  Delos  rose,  and  Phoebus  sprung ; 

Eternal  summer  gilds  them  yet, 

But  all,  except  their  sun,  is  set. 

"  The  Scian  and  the  Teian  muse, 

The  hero's  harp,  the  lover's  lute 
Have  found  the  fame  your  shores  refuse  ; 

Their  place  of  birth  alone  is  mute 
To  sounds  which  echo  farther  west 
Than  your  sires'  '  Islands  of  the  Blest.' 

"  The  mountains  look  on  Marathon, 

And  Marathon  looks  on  the  sea ; 
And  musing  there  an  hour  alone, 

I  dreamed  that  Greece  might  still  be  free ; 
Eor  standing  on  the  Persian's  grave, 
I  could  not  deem  myself  a  slave. 

"  A  king  sate  on  the  rocky  brow 

"Which  looks  o'er  sea-born  Salamis, 
And  ships  by  thousands  lay  below, 

And  men  in  nations ; — all  were  his ! 
He  counted  them  at  break  of  day, 
And  when  the  sun  set,  where  were  they  ? 

"  And  where  are  they?   and  where  art  thou, 
My  country  ?   On  thy  voiceless  shore 
The  heroic  lay  is  tuneless  now — 
The  heroic  bosom  beats  no  more  ! 


22  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

And  must  thy  lyre,  so  long  divine, 
Degenerate  into  hands  like  mine? 

•     "  'Tis  something  in  the  dearth  of  fame, 

Though  linked  among  the  fettered  race, 

To  feel  at  least  a  patriot's  shame, 
Even  as  I  sing,  suffuse  my  face ; 

For  what  is  left  the  poet  here  ? 

For  Greeks  a  blush, — for  Greece  a  tear. 

"  Must  we  but  weep  o'er  days  more  blest? 

Must  we  but  blush  ?   Our  fathers  bled. 
Earth,  render  back  from  out  thy  breast 

A  remnant  of  our  Spartan  dead ! 
Of  the  three  hundred  grant  but  three, 
To  make  a  new  Thermopylae  ! 

"  What !  silent  still  ?  and  silent  all? 
Ah !  no  :  the  voices  of  the  dead 
Sound  like  a  distant  torrent's  fall, 

And  answer,  '  Let  one  living  head, 
But  one  arise — we  come,  we  come ! ' 
'Tis  but  the  living  who  are  dumb. 

"  In  vain,  in  vain :  strike  other  chords : 
Fill  high  the  cup  with  Samian  wine  I 
Leave  battles  to  the  Turkish  hordes, 
And  shed  the  blood  of  Scio's  vine ! 
Hark  !  rising  to  the  ignoble  call — 
How  answers  each  bold  Bacchanal ! 

"  You  have  the  Pyrrhic  dance,  as  yet, 
Where  is  the  Pyrrhic  phalanx  gone  ? 
Of  two  such  lessons,  why  forget 

The  nobler  and  the  manlier  one  ? 
You  have  the  letters  Cadmus  gave — 
Think  ye  he  meant  them  for  a  slave  ? 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SODL.  23 

"  Fill  high  the  bowl  with  Samian  wine ! 

We  will  not  think  of  themes  like  these  ! 
It  made  Anacreon's  song  divine : 

He  served — but  served  Polycrates — 
A  tyrant;  but  our  masters  then 
Were  still,  at  least,  our  countrymen. 

"  The  tyrant  of  the  Chersonese 

Was  freedom's  best  and  bravest  friend ; 

That  tyrant  was  Miltiades  1 
Oh  I  that  the  present  hour  would  lend 

Another  despot  of  the  kind ! 

Such  chains  as  his  were  sure  to  bind. 

"  Fill  high  the  bowl  with  Samian  wine ! 

On  Suli's  rock,  and  Parga's  shore, 
Exists  the  remnant  of  a  line 

Such  as  the  Doric  mothers  bore ; 
And  there,  perhaps,  some  seed  is  sown 
The  Heraclidsean  blood  might  own. 

"  Trust  not  for  freedom  to  the  Franks — 
They  have  a  king  who  buys  and  sells  : 
In  native  swords,  and  native  ranks, 
The  only  hope  of  courage  dwells; 
But  Turkish  force  and  Latin  fraud 
Would  break  your  shield,  however  broad. 

"  Fill  high  the  bowl  with  Samian  wine  ! 

Our  virgins  dance  beneath  the  shade — 
I  see  their  glorious  black  eyes  shine ; 

But,  gazing  on  each  glowing  maid, 
My  own  the  burning  tear-drop  laves, 
To  think  such  breasts  must  suckle  slaves. 

"  Place  me  on  Sunium's  marbled  steep, 
Where  nothing,  save  the  waves  and  I, 


24:  THE    NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SODL. 

May  hear  our  mutual  murmurs  sweep ; 

There,  swan-like,  let  me  sing  and  die  : 
A  land  of  slaves  shall  ne'er  be  mine — 
Dash  down  yon  cup  of  Samian  wine! " 

Tuesday,  December  10. 
The  time  has  passed  more  agreeably.  The  nearer 
we  approach  Egypt  the  more  beautiful  becomes  the 
sky,  which  is  of  a  deep  blue.  The  sea  is  so  calm  we 
have  hardly  any  motion.  The  captain  says  we  will 
be  at  anchor  to-morrow  morning  at  three  o'clock. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ALEXANDRIA,  IN  EGYPT OUR  DRAGOMAN EXAMINING  THE 

DAHABEEHS CLEOPATRA'S    NEEDLES POMPET's    PILLAR 

DOGS. 

Wednesday,  December  11,  1867. 

T  six  o'clock  a.m.  I  was  on  deck,  looking  at 

that  Land  of  Egypt  so  often  heard  of,  and 

so  full  of  sacred  and  historical  associations. 

God  could  not  have  given  us  a  more  glori- 

dus  day  for  our  entrance.     Just  one  of  those  summer 

lays,  such  as  we  have  in  New  York.     As  our  steamer 

glided  slowly  towards  the  port,  the  first  objects  which 

ittracted  my  attention  were  Pompey's  Pillar,  the  Pha- 

os,   and   a  quantity  of  windmills   towards  the   west. 

he  harbor  was  filled  with  numerous  vessels  of  all  na- 

ions.     We  were  not  yet  anchored,  when  already  shoals 

f  boats   were   around   the   steamer,  filled  with   dirty 

Igyptians,  trying  their  best  to  get  possession  of  baggage 

id  passengers.     So  these  are  the  descendants  of  the 

haraohs,  the  Egyptians  among  whom  Abraham  came 

live,  over  whom  Joseph  the  son  of  Jacob,  originally 

slave,  ruled ;  the  country  where  God  told  Mary  and 

>seph  to  take  Jesus !     "  Out  of  Egypt  have  I  called 

y  Son."     Here  was  the  Island  of  Pharos,  whose  posi- 

>n  first  gave  the  idea  to  Alexander  to  build  the  city 

~  2 


26  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

to  which  he  gave  his  name,  the  witness  of  his  triumphs, 
and  also,  later,  of  Cleopatra's  beauty  and  wickedness. 
Indeed  my  heart  felt  sad  in  looking  at  thee,  Egypt ;  so 
great  at  one  time,  so  humble  now !  In  reading  notes 
about  Egypt,  I  came  across  the  document  written  by 
Amrou  to  the  Caliph  Omar,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
Arabic  conquest,  towards  642  or  643.  That  prince  had 
asked  of  him  a  description  of  Egypt  sufficiently  vivid 
and  exact  that  he  could  imagine  seeing  with  his  own 
eyes  that  handsome  country.  I  found  it  so  beautiful  1 
thought  I  would  translate  it,  and  give  it  place  in  my 
diary.  He  writes  thus :  "  O  Prince  of  the  faithful  ! 
Paint  thyself  a  barren  desert  and  a  beautiful  country  in 
the  midst  of  two  mountains  ;  this  is  Egypt.  All  its  pro- 
ductions and  all  its  riches,  from  Assouan  to  Menchia, 
come  from  a  blessed  river  which  flows  with  majesty  in 
the  centre  of  the  country.  The  moment  of  the  rising 
and  the  retiring  of  the  waters  is  also  regulated  by  the 
course  of  the  sun  and  moon.  There  is  a  fixed  time  in 
the  year  when  all  the  sources  of  the  universe  come 
to  pay  to  that  King  of  the  Rivers  the  tribute  to  which 
Providence  has  subjected  them.  Then  the  waters 
augment,  come  forth  from  the  channel,  and  cover  all 
the  face  of  Egypt,  to  deposit  a  productive  slime." 

"  There  is  no  communication  from  one  village  to 
another  except  by  the  means  of  light  boats,  as  nume- 
rous as  palm-leaves.  When  the  moment  has  arrived 
that  the  waters  cease  to  be  necessary  to  the  fertility  of 
the  soil,  the  docile  river  re-enters  the  limits  ordered  by 
Destiny,  so  as  to  permit  the  treasures  hidden  by  her  in 
the  bosom  of  the  earth  to  be  gathered." 


THE   NILOMETER   AKD   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  27 

"A  nation  protected  by  Heaven,  who,  like  the  bee, 
seems  to  be  doomed  to  work  for  others,  and  without 
Benefiting  by  the  fruits  of  its  labor.  Open  lightly  the 
bowels  of  the  earth,  deposit  therein  the  seeds  from 
which  to  expect  fertility,  through  the  goodness  of  that 
One  who  makes  the  harvest  grow  and  mature.  The 
germ  develops,  the  stem  rises,  the  corn  forms  itself  by 
the  help  of  the  dew,  substitute  of  rain,  and  which  pre- 
serves the  fruitful  dampness  of  the  soil.  Then,  to  the 
most  abundant  harvest,  again  succeeds  sterility. 

"  It  is  thus,  O  Prince  of  the  faithful,  that  Egypt 
offers,  turn  by  turn,  the  image  of  a  dusty  desert,  a  liquid 
and  silvered  plain,  a  black  and  muddy  marsh,  a  green 
and  waving  meadow,  a  garden-plot  full  of  flowers,  and 
a  field  covered  with  golden  harvest.  Blessed  be  the 
Creator  of  so  many  marvels  !  Three  things,  O  Prince 
of  the  faithful,  add  essentially  to  the  prosperity  of  Egypt, 
and  the  happiness  of  its  inhabitants.  The  first  is  in  not 
adopting  lightly  projects  brought  forth  by  Avidity,  and 
tending  to  increase  taxes;  the  second  is  in  emphyying 
the  third  of  revenues  to  the  maintenance  of  canals, 
bridges,  and  banks ;  and  the  third  is,  only  to  raise  taxes 
on  the  fruits  produced  by  earth.     Salut !  " 

In  the  midst  of  my  thoughts  Tom  came  to  tell  us  that  the 
boat  was  ready  ;  and  was  followed  by  a  dragoman  who 
pleased  us  immediately.  His  name  is  Mustapha ;  and 
he  has  a  very  patriarchal  face.  He  took  care  of  our 
luggage,  and,  entering  a  boat,  we  proceeded  to  the  cus- 
tom-house, where  we  had  to  show  our  passports  and  have 
all  our  luggage  examined.  They  seemed  to  be  very 
strict,  and  even  retained  some  of  Tom's  cartridges,  which 


28  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SODL. 

were  sent  to  the  American  Consulate  the  next  day.  In 
waiting  for  the  omnibus  we  had  a  first  view  of  the  crowds 
of  donkeys,  donkey-drivers,  camels  carrying  goods,  Eu- 
ropean carriages,  and  Egyptians,  Greeks,  and  Turks,  all 
mixed  in  an  apparently  inextricable  confusion.  "We 
were  assailed  by  men  and  boys,  one  wanting  to  carry  an 
umbrella,  another  a  bag,  and  one  would  have  obliged  us 
to  take  a  donkey ;  but  we  stood  firm,  and  after  a  few 
minutes  were  installed  in  the  omnibus  en  route  for  the 
hotel.  Our  first  impressions  of  Alexandria  were  not 
very  favorable.  We  had  to  pass  through  narrow  and  ir- 
regular streets,  the  houses  small,  the  shops  and  the  peo- 
ple looking  as  dirty  as  possible.  The  Hotel  de  VEurope, 
considered  the  best  in  the  city,  could  not  boast  of  ex- 
tra cleanliness ;  and  the  cooking  is  miserable.  It  is 
situated  on  the  Grande  Place  of  the  Consuls,  which  is 
the  European  centre.  In  looking  from  the  window,  if 
it  were  not  for  the  animated  scene — strings  of  camels, 
donkeys  trotting  gravely,  some  mounted  by  Bedouins, 
with  their  big  sticks  in  their  hands,  others  carrying  Eu- 
ropeans, and  followed  by  little  boys  in  rags ;  Greek  and 
Arabian  faces ;  women  dressed  in  loose  blue  skirts, 
with  their  faces  half  concealed,  coming  to  get  water 
from  the  basins,  which  are  at  the  extremities  of  the 
place — you  could  hardly  believe  yourself  to  be  in  an 
Oriental  city.  The  houses  are  without  character ; 
in  front  of  all  the  hotels  are  handsome  European  car- 
riages :  so  that,  save  the  Egyptian  features,  you  could 
imagine  yourself  in  any  other  port  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean. Upon  inquiring  of  Mustapha  about  Moham- 
med   El-Adli,   the   dragoman   that   Mr.    "Warren    had 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  29 

last  year,  we  were  surprised  to  learn  that  lie  was  his 
brother ;  and  while  we  were  dressing,  they  came  to- 
gether to  our  rooms.  Mr.  Warren  had  spoken  highly  of 
El-Adli,  and  we  were  much  pleased  with  his  appearance, 
as  he  was  the  first  Egyptian  we  had  seen  who  was  well- 
dressed.  He  wore  a  handsome  brown  cloth  embroider- 
ed suit,  with  a  silk  sash  around  his  waist,  and  a  white 
turban  on  his  head,  which  well  suited  his  expressive 
brown  face.  The  gentlemen  were  in  such  a  hurry  to 
look  at  the  dahabeehs,  or  Nile  boats,  that,  not  waiting 
for  us,  they  started  with  Mustapha.  When  at  length 
we  were  ready,  we  went  to  sit  on  the  balcony,  and  there 
met  Mohammed,  who  asked  us  if  we  did  not  wish  to 
join  the  governors,  as  he  called  the  gentlemen.  We  said 
"  Yes,"  and  having  chosen  an  elegant  carriage,  with  a 
driver  in  Egyptian  costume,  our  dragoman  took  his 
place  near  him,  and  we  also  went  to  see  the  boats.  The 
atmosphere  was  so  pure,  and  the  sky  so  blue,  that  we 
enjoyed  our  ride  exceedingly  ;  and  passing  through  new 
streets,  entered  an  alley  of  large  trees,  seeing,  for  the  first 
time  in  our  lives,  entire  groves  of  palm-trees,  which  we 
found  beautiful ;  and  admired  the  bright  flowers  in  gar- 
dens on  the  road-side.  Soon  we  met  Tom  and  Mr. 
Rogers ;  they  had  visited  almost  all  the  boats  lying  in 
the  canal,  but  revisited  them  after  joining  us,  and  we  al] 
agreed  that  the  "  Cleopatra  "  was  the  largest,  and,  when 
newly  arranged,  the  most  comfortable ;  she  was  accord- 
ingly chosen.  El-Adli  asked  £630  for  three  months, 
taking  us  to  the  second  cataract  and  returning;  we 
should  have  for  that  price  all  the  comforts  and  the 
best   cooking  which   could  be   obtained  on   the  Nile. 


30  THE   KILOMETER   AND  THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

After  lunch  we  went  to  visit  the  bazars,  which  are  far 
from  being  picturesque,  and  decidedly  dirty ;  and  pur- 
chased, in  a  Turkish  bazar,  two  handsome  scarfs  for 
Aline  and  myself.  Passing  before  the  Latin  Convent, 
and  the  new  Protestant  Church,  we  came  to  Cleopatra's 
Needles.  These  obelisks  are  before  the  ruins  supposed 
to  be  the  temple  of  Ccesar,  and  as  it  was  erected  by 
Cleopatra  in  honor  of  her  son's  father,  it  explains 
their  traditional  name.  They  are  of  rose  granite,  and 
were  originally  erected  before  one  of  the  pylon es  of  the 
great  temple  of  Neptune,  at  Heliopolis.  Only  one  re- 
mains standing,  the  height  of  which  is  seventy  feet,  and 
the  hieroglyphics  well  preserved  on  two  faces.  The 
other,  lying  down,  is  nearly  covered  with  earth,  only 
one  surface  of  about  ten  feet  being  discernible  ;  and  it 
might  be  taken  for  a  flag-stone,  were  it  not  for  the  hiero- 
glyphics seen  upon  it.  Both  bear  the  names  of  Touth- 
mes  III.,  of  the  XVIIIth  dynasty,  between  1625-1517 
b.c.  Indeed  I  must  say  that  it  needs  a  great  deal  of 
imagination  to  feel  very  enthusiastic  before  these  ruins. 
The  more  remarkable  monument — Pompey's  Pillar — 
we  found  standing  upon  a  mount,  at  a  distance  of  a  few 
hundred  paces  from  the  gate  of  the  modern  wall  of 
Alexandria,  which  opens  upon  the  sterile  and  desert 
country  forming  the  narrow  isthmus  between  the  sea 
and  the  Lake  Mareotis.  It  is  a  column  of  handsome  red 
polished  granite,  of  an  elegant  style,  but  the  chapiter 
and  pedestal  are  of  inferior  work,  and  have  never  been 
finished.  It  was  erected  by  the  Prefect  of  Egypt,  Pub- 
lius,  in  honor  of  the  Emperor  Dioclesian,  after  his  vic- 
tory, in  29G  a.d.,  over  Achillams,  who  for  five  years 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACEED    SOIL.  31 

had  taken  the  title  and  insignia  of  imperial  dignity. 
That  Pillar,  which  has  looked  down  upon  all  the  changes 
that  the  memorable  seat  of  art,  learning,  and  commerce 
has  through  so  many  ages  undergone,  made  only  a  sad 
impression  on  our  minds.  Our  carriage  was  soon  sur- 
rounded by  beggars,  both  children  and  men,  some  of 
them  blind,  asking  for  backsheesh.  We  were  glad  to 
re-enter  Alexandria,  which  we  did  by  the  Nile  gate, 
and  stopped  at  the  Consul's,  to  whom  Tom  and  Mr. 
Rogers  had  referred,  for  prices  of  dahabeehs.  He  said 
that  El-Adli's  price  was  not  out  of  the  way,  so  that 
the  gentlemen,  favoring  Mr.  Warren's  recommendation, 
chose  him  as  our  dragoman,  provided  he  should  do  all 
that  the  ladies  desired.  He  asked  us  to  go  with  him  to 
the  English  and  French  shops,  so  that  we  could  choose 
for  ourselves  the  articles  we  wanted  ;  and  I  suppose  by 
the  quantity  purchased  our  table  will  be  splendid,  and 
easily  satisfy  any  epicure  we  may  meet  with.  They 
comprised  ham,  tongue,  sardines,  pickles  of  every  kind, 
preserved  vegetables,  English  and  French  preserves  of 
all  descriptions,  best  French  confectionery,  Mocha 
coffee,  marquis  chocolate,  &c.  In  fact  I  cannot  re- 
member very  well  all  he  bought,  but  we  were  perfectly 
satisfied  with  the  liberality  which  he  displayed. 

Tuesday,  December  12. 
While  taking  our  breakfast  this  morning  the  card 
of  Mr.  Tibbets,  of  Boston,  was  handed  to  us.  Tom 
remembered  that  a  friend  had  told  him  this  gen- 
tleman was  also  going  up  the  Nile,  and  perhaps 
would  like  to  join  us.      He  soon  after  made  his  appear- 


32  THE    KILOMETER   AXD   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

ance,  and  seems  about  sixty-five  years  of  age.  with  beau- 
tiful -white  hair,  and  a  pleasant  cast  of  countenance ; 
but  we  all  felt  that  by  reason  of  age  and  bad  health  he 
wonld  not  be  a  desirable  companion ;  and  were  much 
relieved  when  we  heard  that  his  intention  Was  to  take 
the  steamer.  While  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  were  busy 
at  the  Consul's,  settling  the  agreement  with  El-Adli,  we 
passed  the  morning  at  home.  On  their  return  we  heard 
with  regret  that  after  examination  it  had  been  found 
that  the  Cleopatra's  bottom  was  rotten,  and  therefore 
unsafe ;  so  that  the  best  plan  would  be  to  leave  for 
Cairo  to-morrow  morning,  and  there  select  the  best 
dahabeeh  to  be  had.  In  the  afternoon  we  went  to  take 
a  last  look  at  the  Cleopatra,  to  satisfy  ourselves  of  the 
above  fact,  and  thence  drove  to  Moharembeh,  a  villa  be- 
longing to  the  Viceroy.  The  gardens  are  very  hand- 
some, and  from  them  we  had  fine  views  of  Alexandria, 
the  surrounding  country,  and  Mareotis  Lake.  All  along 
the  road  are  handsome  villas,  built  in  the  European 
style,  with  gardens  beautifully  laid  out,  and  belonging 
to  the  richest  inhabitants  of  the  city.  In  returning  to 
the  hotel  by  way  of  the  Itosetta  gate,  we  saw  but  a  vast 
surface  of  naked  ground,  from  which  even  the  ruins  have 
disappeared.  "We  visited  several  ancient  covered  cisterns, 
so  strongly  constructed  that  they  are  still  well  preserved. 
Some  are  yet  in  use,  and  at  the  time  of  the  inundation 
are  filled  with  water  from  the  canal.  Alexandria  can 
boast  of  having  the  greatest  number  of  dogs  found  in 
any  city  :  they  go  in  troops,  have  no  master,  and  at 
night  seem  to  aspire  in  rivalry  with  the  watchman  in  a 
low  guttural  barking  which  prevents  one  sleeping. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ALEXANDRIA    TO    CAIRO THE   DELTA — PIGEON   VILLAGE — 

CHARTER    OF    VESSEL   FOR   VOYAGE    ON    THE    NILE — THE 
CONTRACT THE  CITADEL— OLD  CAIRO. 

Friday,  December  13,  1867. 
E  took  the  eight  o'clock  train  for  Cairo  ;  in  the 
same  carriage  with  us  was  the  Italian  coun- 
tess, our  travelling  companion  on  the  Tomas- 
so.  The  trip  from  Alexandria  to  Cairo,  by 
rail,  occupies  seven  hours,  and  the  road  from  the  city  runs 
between  the  Mahmoudieh  Canal  and  Lake  Mareotis.  On 
the  left  we  could  see  Pompey's  Pillar,  superb  villas,  fac- 
tories, and  Hollandish  windmills  on  the  edge  of  the 
canal,  contrasting  vividly  with  the  mud  houses.  On 
the  right,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  extends  Lake  Mare- 
otis. This  so-called  lake  was  formerly  very  beautiful ; 
but  in  1801  the  English,  letting  in  the  water  from  the 
sea,  made  of  it  an  immense  marsh,  infecting  Alexandria 
with  pernicious  miasma.  The  view  of  that  unculti- 
vated plain,  bathed  here  and  there  by  stagnant  waters, 
which  the  wind  hardly  ruffles,  makes  a  sad  impression 
on  one's  mind.  Damanhour  was  the  first  market  town 
we  came  to,  and  we  could  see  from  afar  its  high  octagon 
minarets ;  but  upon  approaching  you  find  the  place 
only  a  rude  assemblage  of  unburn t  brick  habitations. 
Above  Damanhour  commences  a  landscape  very  much 
like  Holland,  if  it  were  not  for  the  palm-trees,  the  unut- 
2* 


3i  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL. 

terable  azure  of  the  sky,  and  the  appearance  of  the  pop- 
ulation ;  and  here  the  country  of  the  Delta  commences. 
Merman  thus  gives  a  description  of  it : — "  To  an  immense 
plain,  where  the  horizon  is  not  closed  by  any  elevation 
of  the  ground,  succeed  fields  admirably  cultivated  and 
intersected  by  a  thousand  canals,  crossing  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  which  one  could  compare  to  the  meshes  of  a 
net  thrown  on  the  ground;  Here  rise  villages,  composed 
of  about  thirty  huts  constructed  with  mud  ;  there,  stone 
villas  surmounted  by  minarets  and  cupolas,  shaded  by 
palm  groves.  The  population  is  active  and  laborious  ; 
not  like  the  negroes,  lying  down  like  lizards,  with  their 
backs  to  the  sun,  during  working  hours ;  some  draw  up 
water  for  the  irrigation  of  the  earth,  while  others  tie  up 
the  germ  of  corn.  We  have  never  seen  human  habita- 
tions giving  a  more  perfect  idea  of  a  working  bee-hive 
than  such  a  village  with  its  narrow  and  winding  streets, 
where  our  eyes  embrace  the  view  from  the  height  of  the 
cars,  without  finding  it  possible  to  trace  any  sign  of 
idleness."  Near  the  village  of  Dahare  we  came  in  view 
of  the  Eosetta  branch  of  the  Kile.  The  river  is  very 
wide  at  this  place,  and  the  iron  bridge  between  the 
two  banks  very  ornamental.  At  Benal-Assal,  one  hour 
from  Cairo,  on  the  shore  in  a  handsome  situation,  is 
an  Italian  palace  belonging  to  Abbas-Pacha,  but  trees 
are  wanting.  What  struck  us  as  something  singular 
was,  on  our  right,  a  village  built  expressly  for  the  breed- 
ing of  pigeons;  no  other  inhabitants  but  these  dwelling 
in  it.  It  is  constructed  of  mud,  and  the  palm-trees 
which  surround  it  give  it  a  peculiar  and  picturesque  as- 
pect.    Npar  Cairo  we  had  a  faint  view  of  the  pyramids 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  60 

of  Gizeh,  and  the  two  chains  of  mountains,  the  Lybian 
and  the  Arabic.  It  was  two  o'clock  when  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  city.  Cairo  was  bnilt  in  969  of  the  Christian 
era,  by  Gowler,  general  of  the  Sultan  El-Moez,  after  the 
conquest  of  Egypt  in  the  name  of  the  Fatimite  sultan  of 
Moghareb.  In  commemoration  of  his  conquest  he  named 
it  El-Kabirah  (the  victorious),  from  which  the  French 
have  made  Caire.  In  leaving  the  station  we  had  a 
strange  scene  ; — the  crowd  was  very  great,  the  place 
filled  with  donkeys,  carriages,  and  camels.  We  could 
hardly  move ;  and  Aline  and  I  were  carried  by  our  dra- 
goman, El-Adli,  to  the  carriage  which  was  to  convey  us 
to  our  quarters,  the  new  English  hotel ;  a  commodious 
and  beautiful  building,  situated  on  the  Esbekyeh,  the 
largest  plaza  in  Cairo,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  houses 
and  palaces ;  handsome  walks  planted  with  sycamores, 
under  the  shade  of  which  are  many  little  cafe  houses. 
The  new  hotel  was  commenced  three  years  ago,  but  is 
far  from  being  completed.  How  comfortable,  clean,  and 
luxurious  we  found  it,  compared  to  the  one  we  had  left 
in  Alexandria.  The  table  is  excellent,  the  rooms  large, 
airy,  and  fully  furnished.  As  soon  as  we  had  taken 
lunch  we  selected  a  carriage  for  use  during  the  time  we 
should  pass  in  Cairo.  We  chose  a  handsome  open 
barouche,  lined  with  cherry-colored  silk,  two  large  gray 
horses,  an  Egyptian  driver  with  the  customary  yellow 
silk  turban  on  his  head ;  and  with  our  runner  dressed  in 
white,  some  distance  in  front,  we  proceeded  to  Embabeh, 
or  Boulak,  to  look  at  the  dahabeehs.  There  is  no  com- 
parison to  be  made  between  Cairo  and  Alexandria  ;  the 
latter  has  too  much  of  the  European  character,  while 


36  THE   NILOMETER   AND    THE   SACRED    SOIL. 

Cairo  is  essentially  Oriental.  The  road  to  Embabeh  was 
through  a  large  avenue  occupied  by  foot-passengers — 
Greeks,  Egyptians,  Copts,  and  Europeans,  all  in  their 
national  costumes — while  donkeys,  camels,  and  carriages 
made  it  hard  for  them  to  perambulate.  Such  noise,  such 
confusion  !  we  were  for  some  time  amazed  at  it ;  still, 
being  something  new  to  us,  we  rather  liked  it.  The 
port  of  Boulak  is  very  animated ;  there  were  about  thirty 
dahabeehs,  all  of  which  we  visited,  and  our  choice  fell 
on  the  Pelican,  which  we  baptized  the  Oriental.  AVe 
emra^ed  her  after  the  owner  had  agreed  to  make  all  the 
changes  sus-o-ested,  and  she  will  look  well  when  all  is 
ready.  Night  had  come  before  we  returned  to  the  hotel, 
and  we  were  just  in  time  for  dinner.  The  evening  was 
passed  by  Aline  and  Mr.  Rogers  reading,  while  I  dicta- 
ted to  Tom  the  agreement  with  our  dragoman  furnished 
by  our  Consul.  As  it  may  be  found  interesting  for  my 
friends  in  the  New  World  to  know  on  what  conditions 
and  in  what  manner  a  Nile  voyage  is  made,  I  will  tran- 
scribe it  here. 

';  This  contract,  made  this  fourteenth  day  of  Decem- 
ber, in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven,  between  Thomas  T.  Ferris  and  J.  S.  Rogers, 
citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America,  parties  of  the 
first  part,  and  Mohammed  El-Adli,  dragoman,  party  of 
the  second  part,  witnesseth : 

"1.  The  said  Mohammed  El-Adli  agrees  to  act  as 
dragoman  for  the  parties  of  the  first  part  (consisting  of 
said  Ferris  and  Rogers,  Mrs.  Ferris  and  another  lady, 
Miss  Kraft,  four  persons  altogether),  at  and  from  Cairo, 
up  the  river  Nile  to  the  first  or  second  cataract,  as  may 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  37 

be  decided  by  the  parties  of  the  first  part,  and  back  to 
Cairo ;  making  such,  stops  and  excursions  as  said  parties 
of  the  first  part  may  direct. 

"  2.  The  said  Mohammed  El-Adli  agrees  to  furnish 
in  clean  and  excellent  order,  for  the  use  of  said  parties 
of  the  first  part,  the  dahabeeh  named  Oriental  (now 
Pelican),  already  selected  for  the  voyage;  the  same  to  be 
equipped  complete  with  beds,  lights,  table,  wash,  and  bed 
linen,  cooking  utensils,  a  complete  first-class  canteen, 
and  all  furniture  usual  or  necessary  for  the  complete 
comfort  of  the  voyagers.  .  To  furnish  all  meats,  vege- 
tables, fruits,  preserves,  tea,  coftee,  and  provisions  of  the 
best  quality,  such  as  will  compose  the  most  perfect 
cuisine  known  on  the  best  Nile  boats ;  to  furnish  a 
small  boat  or  dingee,  with  oars,  to  be  used  as  said  parties 
of  the  first  part  may  direct ;  to  furnish  a  good  crew  of 
twelve  men,  besides  a  competent  reiz,  rudderman,  and 
boy;  to  furnish  a  first-class  cook  and  waiter,  all  of  whom 
shall  be  at  all  times  subject  to  and  obey  the  orders  of 
said  parties  of  the  first  part,  and  none  of  whom  shall 
at  any  time  leave  the  dahabeeh  without  the  order  or 
consent  of  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part  previously 
given. 

"3.  The  said  Mohammed  El-Adli  agrees  that  through- 
out  the  voyage  the  cabins,  rooms,  and  everything  shall 
be  kept  clean  and  orderly ;  bed,  table,  and  wash  linen 
changed  as  often  as  may  be  directed  by  the  parties  of 
the  first  part,  and  the  clothes  of  the  voyagers  washed  and 
ironed  whenever  desired. 

"4.  As  to  the  management  of  the  dahabeeh,  it  is 
agreed  that  in  ascending  the  river  the  dahabeeh  shall 


38  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL. 

sail  day  and  night  -when  the  wind  is  fair,  and  that  when 
the  wind  is  unfavorable,  or  there  is  a  calm,  the  crew 
shall  track  or  tow  the  dahabeeh  from  sunrise  to  sunset. 
In  descending  the  river,  the  men  shall  row  continuously 
day  and  night  during  a  calm,  shall  sail  when  the  wind 
is  fair,  and  shall  be  allowed  to  float  down  during  a  head- 
wind. At  all  times  when  sailing,  the  sheet  shall  always 
be  held  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  crew,  and  not  tied  or 
fastened.  And  the  dahabeeh  shall  be  provided  with 
sufficient  ballast  for  entire  safety  and  security. 

"  5.  The  said  Mohammed  El-Adli  agrees  to  furnish 
meals  at  such  hours  and  of  such  dishes  as  may  be 
directed  by  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part.  The  said 
Mohammed  El-Adli  will  pay  for  all  provisions  and  eat- 
ables, wages  of  cook  and  servants,  as  well  as  for  the 
dahabeeh,  all  guides,  tribute  and  backsheesh,  for  all 
donkeys  or  other  means  of  conveyance,  at  each  and 
every  place  visited.  The  wines  and  liquors,  however, 
will  be  provided  by  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part  at 
their  own  expense. 

"  6.  The  said  Mohammed  El-Adli  agrees  that  the  decks 
shall  be  thoroughly  washed  every  day  before  eight  o'clock 
(a.m.),  European  time,  and  will  appoint  some  suitable 
person  of  the  crew  to  attend  to  this  duty.  He  agrees 
further,  to  make  himself  responsible  for  the  correct  and 
respectful  behavior  of  the  reis,  crew,  cook,  and  servants. 
Should  the  conduct  of  any  of  these  become  offensive  to 
any  member  of  the  parties  of  the  first  part,  the  said 
Mohammed  El-Adli  agrees  to  discharge  the  offending 
person  or  persons  and  substitute  others. 

"  7.  No  other  passengers   or  merchandise  shall   be 


THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  39 

taken  on  board  the  dahabeeh  without  the  express  con- 
sent of  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part. 

"  8.  It  is  agreed  that  in  ascending  the  river  the  daha- 
beeh shall  stop  one  day  for  baking  bread  at  each  of 
these  two  places,  Siout,  and  Esneh,  but  no  other  stops 
are  to  be  made,  except  such  as  said  parties  of  the  first 
part  may  direct. 

"  9.  In  case  the  voyage  is  continued  to  the  second 
cataract,  the  whole  expense  of  carrying  the  dahabeeh 
across  the  first  cataract  will  be  borne  by  the  said 
Mohammed  El-Adli. 

"  10.  In  consideration  of  the  faithful  performance  in 
all  respects  of  this  contract  on  the  part  of  the  said  Mo- 
hammed El-Adli,  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part  will 
pay  to  the  said  Mohammed  El-Adli  as  follows:  For  the 
voyage  to  the  first  cataract  and  back,  four  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds  sterling ;  or  for  the  voyage  to  the  second 
cataract  and  back  (in  case  the  said  parties  of  the  first 
part  should  choose  to  go  to  the  second  cataract),  six 
hundred  and  thirty  pounds  sterling.  These  sums  to 
be  in  full  payment  in  each  case,  unless  the  said  par- 
ties of  the  first  part  should  detain  the  dahabeeh  at 
any  place  or  places,  for  the  purpose  of  sight-seeing  or 
their  own  pleasure,  more  than .  thirty  days  altoge- 
ther, which  are  allowed  for  stoppages  in  case  of  the 
full  voyage  to  the  second  cataract  and  back;  or 
twenty  days  allowed  for  stoppages,  in  case  of  the  voy- 
age to  the  first  cataract  and  back.  The  days  of  stop- 
pages to  be  computed  from  sunset  of  one  day  to  sunset 
of  the  next  following  day.  Odd  hours  to  be  reckoned 
as  parts  of  a  day.     The  voyage  will  begin  when  the 


40  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

dahabeeli  actually  starts  from  Cairo  to  ascend  the  river. 
It  is  expressly  agreed,  however,  that  the  dahabeeli  shall 
be  ready  at  Cairo,  at  the  disposal  of  the  parties  of  the 
first  part,  on  the  nineteenth  instant. 

"In  case  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part  should  re- 
quire stoppages  more  than  thirty  days  in  the  full  voy- 
age, and  in  consequence  of  such  stoppages  the  full 
voyage  is  prolonged  more  than  ninety  days,  then  the 
said  parties  of  the  first  part  will  pay  for  every  such 
day  in  excess  of  ninety  days,  or  sixty  days,  as  the  case 
may  be,  at  the  rate  of  seven  pounds  sterling. 

"11.  The  sum  of  three  hundred  pounds  sterling  will 
be  paid  in  Cairo  on  signing  the  present,  and  the  residue 
in  Cairo  after  the  completion  of  the  voyage. 

"  12.  It  is  agreed  between  both  parties  that  the  parties 
of  the  first  part  may  adjoin  one  or  two  more  persons 
for  the  present  voyage  on  paying  eighty  pounds  sterling 
for  each  for  the  full  voyage  to  the  second  cataract,  or  fifty- 
three  pounds  sterling  for  the  voyage  to  the  first  cataract. 
"  13.  It  is  agreed  by  both  parties  that  any  dispute 
which  may  arise  as  to  the  interpretation  of  this  contract 
shall  be  referred  to  the  American  Consul-General  for 
Egypt,  or  his  representative,  whose  decision  shall  be  final. 
"In  witness  whereof  the  said  Ferris  and  Rogers, 
members  of  the  party  of  the  first  part,  have  here- 
unto signed  their  names,  and  Mohammed  El-Adli 
has  hereto  affixed  his  seal,  the  day  and  year  here- 
inbefore mentioned. 

"  Tuos.  T.  Fekkis. 
"  J.  S.  Rogers. 
[Seal]  "Mohammed  El-Adli. 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  41 

"  Consulate-General  of  the  United  States  of  America 
for  Egypt.  This  fourteenth  day  of  December,  1867, 
personally  appeared  before  me,  Charles  Hale,  Consul  - 
General  of  the  United  States  of  America,  the  within- 
named  Thomas  T.  Ferris,  citizen  of  the  United  States, 
and  J.  S.  Rogers,  citizen  of  the  United  States,  who 
signed  the  witnessed  contract  in  my  presence,  and  Mo- 
hammed El-Adli,  who  affixed  his  seal  in  my  presence, 
all  of  whom  acknowledged  the  within  contract  to  be 
their  free  act  and  deed. 

"  "Witness  my  hand  and  seal  of  office, 

"  Charles  Hale." 


CONSULATE   SEAL    I 

OF  THE  : 

UNITED   STATES.     : 


Saturday,  December  14. 
Ten  o'clock  striking,  and  we  are  hardly  through 
breakfast.  "  Too  late,  too  late,"  says  Tom.  "  If  you 
want  to  see  Cairo  you  must  keep  better  hours  and  be 
off  at  nine  o'clock."  Yery  well,  sir,  we  will.  While 
the  gentlemen  were  out  shopping,  and  ordering  the  flags 
and  streamers,  I  read  to  Aline  the  description  of  Cairo 
given  in  the  guide-books;  but  what  book  can  give  a 
correct  idea  of  the  motley  crowd  and  their  animated 
features, — such  a  view  as  that  which  we  had  from  our 
windows  on  the  balcony  fronting  the  Esbekyeh  %  Tom 
says  it  is  quite  impossible  to  give  an  accurate  descrip- 
tion to  others  of  the  vivid  scene  we  have  constantly  be- 
fore us.  I  have  found  it  so,  and  know  that  all  I  can 
say  will  seem  poor  compared  to  the  reality.  The 
governors,  with  Thaddeus,  our  guide,  came  back  at 
three  o'clock  r.M.,  and  we  being  ready,  spent  the  rest 


42  THE   NILOMETER    AND   THE   SACKED   SODL. 

of  the  afternoon  visiting  Old  Cairo.  We  followed  the 
occidental  part  of  the  city  until  Bab-es-Seideh-Zeineh,.  a 
quarter  entirely  Arabic,  with  a  number  of  little  mosques 
and  a  few  pretty  Arabian  fountains;  and  we  particu- 
larly admired  a  mosque,  so  very  picturesque,  with  its 
stone  door  and  its  handsome  clump  of  trees.  Then, 
leaving  on  our  left  high  heaps  of  rubbish,  which  bounds 
Cairo  on  the  south,  we  came  to  the  head  of  the  aqueduct 
of  the  citadel.  A  heavy  building  contains  the  sakyeh, 
which  is  used  to  raise  the  water,  and  near  by  is  an  old 
sycamore,  under  whose  shade,  protected  from  the  hot 
rays  of  the  sun,  lounge  the  camel  and  donkey  drivers ; 
a  pretty  group  for  a  painter.  Following  a  shaded  ave- 
nue we  arrived  at  Old  Cairo.  This  city  was  founded 
by  Amrou,  general  of  the  Caliph  Omar,  at  the  time  of 
the  conquest  of  Egypt,  a.d.  640.  As  he  was  besieging 
a  castle  called  Babylon,  his  tent  was  planted  a  little  to 
the  north  of  the  place  invested,  and  his  wish  was  that  in 
commemoration  of  it  the  city,  whose  construction  was 
commenced  on  the  place  where  he  had  encamped, 
would  take  the  name  of  Fostat,  a  word  in  Arabic 
meaning  tent.  Fostat  remained  the  Mussulman  capital 
of  Egypt  until  the  foundation  of  Cairo,  in  a.d.  969.  In 
1168,  at  the  time  of  the  irruption  of  the  crusaders  into 
Lower  Egypt,  the  Saracens,  fearing  that  Fostat  would 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Christians,  set  fire  to  it :  it 
burned  fifty-four  days,  and  this  was  its  definitive  ruin. 
There  is  a  population  at  present  of  almost  three  thou- 
sand inhabitants,  nearly  all  of  whom  are  Copts,  who 
are  the  last  broken  remains  of  the  ancient  Egyptian 
race.     They  have  kept  their  Christian  faith  unbroken, 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  43 

and  thus  perpetuated  the  old  Pkaraonic  nationality, 
as  well  as  the  language  and  the  name  of  their  race. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  Copts,  scattered  over 
the  land,  are  all  that  remain  of  the  people  of  Sesostris 
and  of  the  Ptolemies.  We  passed  through  narrow  and 
irregular  streets,  some  of  them  covered  with  matting  as 
a  protection  from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  shops  are 
very  small,  not  more  than  five  feet  wide,  and  few  of 
them  are  clean.  "We  remarked  also  in  Cairo,  still  more 
than  in  Alexandria,  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  chil- 
dren were  afflicted  with  sore  eyes ;  the  number  is  in- 
credible. We  asked  Thaddeus  the  cause,  and  he  re- 
plied that  until  two  years  of  age  no  mother  thinks  of 
washing  her  child,  being  afraid  that  if  it  were  clean 
and  pretty,  the  evil  eye  would  look  upon  him.  What 
profound  ignorance  and  barbarism  !  These  people  must 
be  hard-hearted,  or  how  can  they  endure  the  sight  of 
these  poor  little  sufferers,  who  almost  all  the  time  are 
obliged  to  hide  their  faces,  not  being  able  to  endure  the 
rays  of  the  sun.  How  can  they  allow  the  accumulation 
of  matter  to  close  the  eyelids,  and  the  flies  to  settle 
thereon  as  they  do  ?  Sometimes  the  eyes  are  covered 
with  them,  and  it  is  a  disgusting  sight.  Feelings  of 
anger,  sadness,  and  pity  creep  over  yon  in  looking  at  it ! 
Are  we  not  in  the  nineteenth  century  ?  Shame  be  on 
the  government  which,  instead  of  trying  by  all  means 
in  its  power  to  enlighten  the  people  given  by  God  to  its 
keeping,  leaves  them  each  succeeding  year  to  sink  lower 
and  lower  in  degradation  and  abasement ! 


CHAPTER  IV. 

C  AIEO  —  ITS     MOSQUES  —  BAZABS THE     PYEAMIDS  —  THE 

TOMBS     AND      SPHINX HELIOPOLIS THE    DEKVISHES. 

Sunday.  December  15,  1867. 
Y  first  thoughts  in  waking  this  morning  have 
been  for  you,  friends  of  the  !New  "World. 


It  is  six  months  to-day  since  we  left  the 
States.  May  spirit  angels  with  their  rapid 
•wings  bring  to  yon  our  good  wishes  and  kisses  !  We 
breakfasted  at  eight,  and  at  nine  our  carriage  took  us 
to  the  Citadel.  The  weather  was  cold  and  pleasant, 
like  an  autumn  clay  in  America ;  the  sky  of  an  azure 
blue.  The  Citadel  dates  from  the  end  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, and  is  the  work:  of  the  celebrated  Youssouf-Salah- 
Eddin  (Saladin),  who  also  had  a  palace  built  there,  near 
a  mosque.  This  palace,  which  afterwards  became  the 
residence  of  the  sultans,  was  remarkable  for  a  large 
square  hall,  supported  by  thirty-two  rose  granite  columns 
taken  from  the  most  ancient  Greek  and  Roman  temples, 
and  which  were  surmounted  by  as  many  Pharaonic 
chapiters  brought  from  Memphis.  This  building,  which 
was  allowed  to  go  to  ruin,  was  entirely  destroyed  in 
1829,  to  give  place  to  the  new  mosque  of  Mohammed 
Ali.  Our  first  visit  after  passing  under  the  heavy  doors 
of  the  Citadel,  where  we  were  saluted  by  soldiers  pre- 
senting arms,  was   to  this  elegant  mosque.     "Woollen 


THE  KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL.  45 

slippers  were  put  over  our  shoes,  and  we  proceeded 
to  the  yard,  which  is  surrounded  by  columns  cut  in 
handsome  alabaster.  In  the  centre  is  the  fountain  of 
ablution,  of  an  octagon  form,  but  the  ornamentations 
are  too  heavy.  On  the  northwestern  gallery  is  a  square 
tower,  or  Chinese  pavilion,  black  and  gold  above,  hold- 
ing a  clock  which  was  presented  by  King  Louis  Phil- 
ippe to  Mohammed  Ali ;  rather  a  poor  present,  and 
we  did  not  admire  it.  "Within,  and  near  the  entrance 
door,  is  a  gallery  -.supported  by  a  row  of  small  col- 
umns, to  the  right  of  which  is  the  tomb  of  Moham- 
med Ali.  The  mosque  itself  is  surmounted  by  a  great 
cupola  flanked  by  four  half-cupolas,  with  four  little 
octagon  domes,  one  in  each  angle.  The  cupola  is  sup- 
ported by  four  large  pillars,  parts  of  them  of  that  ele- 
gant oriental  alabaster  whose  amber  tint  and  trans- 
parency has  the  character  and  appearance  of  the  opal. 
The  decorations  are  green  and  gold.  When  we  entered, 
some  Moslems,  with  their  faces  on  the  ground,  were 
making  their  devotions.  The  open  windows  permitted 
the  sunbeams  to  enter ;  numerous  birds  have  built  their 
nests  in  the  mosque,  and  by  their  song  were  also  prais- 
ing the  King  of  creation.  We  felt  that  never  had  we 
entered  a  church  whose  music  impressed  us  with  a 
more  religious  feeling  than  the  song  of  these  birds. 
Having  remained  sufficiently  long  to  examine  the  in- 
terior, we  left  by  another  gate  leading  on  to  a  plat- 
form, whence  extended  a  magnificent  view  far  away 
beyond  and  beneath  us.  At  our  feet  lay  the  Place 
Koumeileh,  with  the  Sultan  Hassan  Mosque;  a  little 
farther  to  the  left  that  of  Touloun,  and  above  it  the 


46  THE   NLLOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

great  city,  bristling  with  minarets.  In  the  confused 
mass  of  terraces,  the  streets  have  only  the  appearance 
of  dark  fissures.  Large  white  palaces  make  a  show 
near  the  bushy  trees  of  the  Esbekyeh,  which  seems  to 
touch  Boulak.  Beyond,  the  Nile  flows  slowly  in  its 
wide  bed,  edged  by  a  line  of  rich  green,  and  disappears 
in  the  plains  of  the  Delta ;  while  farther  off  still,  impos- 
ing even  at  such  a  distance,  are  the  pyramids  of  Gizeh, 
d'Abousir,  and  Sackarah.  On  our  way  to  visit  the 
Viceroy's  palace  we  stopped  at  the  spot  where  the 
massacre  of  the  Mamelouks  took  place,  in  1811.  The 
chief,  Emir-bey,  to  escape  death,  spurred  his  horse  over 
the  parapet,  a  fearful  descent  of  over  fifty  feet,  and 
although  the  horse  was  instantly  killed,  the  rider  was 
not  only  uninjured  but  sprang  up  and  ran  away — the 
only  one  who  escaped  the  dreadful  power  of  the  am- 
bitious Ali.  The  only  two  things  worthy  of  remark 
in  the  Viceroy's  palace  are  the  alabaster  bath-room 
and  the  council  chamber,  in  which  (on  a  dais)  Ismail 
Pacha's  chair  is  surmounted  by  a  crown  richly  studded 
with  real  stones.  Leaving  the  palace,  we  next  visited 
Joseph's  Well.  Some  persons,  not  remembering  parti- 
cularly the  story  in  the  Bible,  confound  this  with  the 
place  where  Joseph's  brethren  threw  him,  after  having 
sold  him  to  the  Egyptians.  But  the  account  of  his- 
torians is,  that  this  well  was  discovered  and  cleaned  out 
by  Saladin  Joseph.  It  is  dug  out  of  the  solid  rock, 
square,  and  having  a  depth  of  three  hundred  and  forty- 
nine  feet.  There  is  an  inclined  plane  which  circuits 
about  the  shaft,  gradually  descending  at  quite  a  steep 
angle,  by  means  of  which  men,  and  even  animals,  can 


THE  KILOMETER  AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  47 

reach  the  bottom,  which  is  thought  to  be  below  the  level 
of  the  USTile.  The  descent  is  two  stories,  and  quite  dark, 
rendering  it  necessary  to  be  helped  by  the  Arabs.  A 
sakyeh,  propelled  by  two  oxen,  elevates  water  to  the 
first  level,  whence  a  second  one  brings  it  to  the  surface. ., 
From  the  Citadel  we  went  to  the  Sultan  Hassan  Mos- 
que, which  is  on  the  Jloumeileh.  plaza.  It  is  said  to  be 
the  handsomest  and  oldest  in  Cairo;  and  indeed  we 
found  it  so  old  and  broken  down  that  we  took  but  a 
cursory  view  of  it,  and  from  a  balcony  observed  with 
much  more  interest  the  strange  spectacle  which  Eou- 
meileh  plaza  presented. 

It  was  market  day ;  the  crowd  compact  and  noisy. 
Stores  of  all  kinds,  on  all  sides  of  the  plaza,  presented  to 
the  public  a  strange  assortment  of  goods,  while  numbers 
of  merchants,  carrying  their  merchandise  on  their  backs, 
were  offering  it  at  cheap  prices.  One  had  common 
cashmere,  another  fez  caps,  and  others  bright  dresses  or 
loose  robes.  It  was  curious  to  see  a  dirty  fellow  ex- 
changing a  filthy  cap  for  a  bright  new  one,  making  the 
contrast  with  his  faded  suit  still  more  apparent.  Women, 
with  their  long,  ugly  black  masks,  were  beating  down 
the  prices  of  new  dresses  ;  men,  with  water  in  goulis, 
were  offering  it  to  the  thirsty ;  while  boys  leading  don- 
keys, loaded  with  sheepskins  filled  with  water,  were 
sprinkling  the  streets.  The  varieties  of  costumes,  the 
noise,  crowd,  dust,  and  I  may  say  the  dirt,  made  it  a 
curious  picture  to  look  upon.  From  Hassan  Mosque  we 
went  to  that  of  Touloun,  and  then  took  a  ride  through 
the  bazars.  Here  the  occupants  are  also  busy-look- 
ing,  presenting   the   same   variety  of  costume.      The 


IS  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

streets  are  narrow  ;  many  having  matting  spread  over- 
head to  protect  the  inhabitants  from  the  burning  raja 
of  the  snn  ;  and  the  oriental  houses,  alternately  red  and 
white,  present  a  similar  appearance  to  the  mosques. 
The  first  story  is  of  stone,  and  the  upper  ones  of  brick ; 
the  windows  have  wire  lattices  of  diversified  patterns. 
We  can  now  see  the  use  of  haying  a  runner ;  the  crowd 
is  so  dense,  and  the  streets  not  being  paved,  one  cannot 
hear  the  tramping  of  the  horses ;  the  runner  halloos 
"Place  !  place !"  and  the  crowd  disperses  as  if  by  magic ; 
men  and  donkeys  stand  close  to  the  walls  or  stores,  and 
we  pass  without  hurting  anybody.  In  the  Turkish  ba- 
zar the  streets  are  so  narrow  one  can  only  pass  on  foot 
or  on  donkeys  ;  we  therefore  alighted  from  the  car- 
riage, and  walked  through.  Tom  bought  himself  a 
handsome  suit,  which  becomes  him  exceedingly.  We 
returned  to  the  hotel  for  lunch  at  one  o'clock,  and  in  the 
afternoon  went  to  Choubra,  a  pleasure-ground  of  the 
late  Mehemet  Ali,  one  hour's  ride  from  Cairo,  on  the 
shore  of  the  Nile.  The  road  leading  to  it  is  planted 
with  acacias  and  sycamores,  forming  a  charming  avenue 
impenetrable  to  the  sun.  The  gardens  of  Choubra  are 
laid  out  in  straight  alleys,  and  are  remarkable  for  the 
quantities  of  flowers,  orange,  lemon,  and  date  trees.  A 
beautiful  basin,  of  Carrara  marble,  surrounded  by  a  bal- 
ustrade, also  in  marble ;  a  colonnade  with  kiosques  ad- 
vancing in  the  water ;  Avhile  at  each  angle  a  parlor  rich- 
ly decorated,  excited  our  admiration.  In  one  of  the  par- 
lors was  the  portrait  of  Alchcmet  Ali,  also  an  elegant 
vase  of  Sevres,  a  present  probably  of  the  King  of  France. 
We  heard  that  this  garden  had  been  designed  and  orna- 


THE   NILOHETEE   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL.  49 

meuted  to  serve  as  a  pleasure-ground  for  the  harem  of 
Mohammed  Ali.  When  it  was  the  Pacha's  wish,  his  ladies 
were  permitted  to  come  here  and  enjoy  one  or  two  days 
of  liberty,  and  their  principal  amusements  at  such  times 
were  rowing  in  small  boats  on  the  water  of  the  basin,  or 
propelling  little  carriages  on  the  pavement  at  the  sides. 

Monday,  December  16, 
"Was  passed  in  shopping  and  looking  at  the  preparations 
on  our  boat. 

Tuesday,  December  17, 

Was  a  day  whose  remembrance  will  be  sweet  in  after 
years.  At  seven  o'clock  we  mounted  on  donkeys 
chosen  by  Thaddeus,  and,  followed  by  several  guides, 
left  the  hotel  to  visit  the  great  Pyramids  of  Gizeh. 
The  weather  was  cold,  but  clear,  much  the  better  for 
the  donkey  ride  of  eight  miles  we  had  before  us — five 
miles  to  Old  Cairo,  and,  after  crossing  the  water,  three 
miles  from  the  village  of  Gizeh  to  the  Pyramids.  We 
took  the  great  avenue  of  Ibrahim  Pacha,  which  is 
planted  with  majestic-looking  trees,  and  " au  galop" 
swift  gazelles.  What  a  glorious  ride  we  had !  it  was 
the  first  time  that  we  had  mounted  these  light,  strong, 
and  gracious  animals  during  our  stay  in  Egypt,  and  we 
were  delighted  with  them ;  our  gallop  would  not  have 
been  despised  by  any  good  horseman.  After  passing 
the  bazars  of  Old  Cairo  we  stopped  on  the  shore ;  our 
guides  helped  us  to  dismount,  and  Thaddeus  went  to 
make  arrangements  for  crossing  the  river  on  one  of 
the  ferry-boats.  But  here  we  had  a  scene  which 
was   not   at   all  pleasant.       About    twenty   boats   are 


50  THE   KILOMETER   AND   TIIE   SACKED   SOIL. 

employed  crossing  the  river  at  this  point,  each  one  in 
turn.      It   appears   that   it   was  not   the   turn  of  the 
one   which    was   to   take   us   over,    and   the   boatman 
had  a  fight  with   those   who   considered   their   rights 
invaded.      The  Egyptians  are  very  noisy  and  loqua- 
cious, and  soon  the  battle  became  general.     The  two 
opponents  seized  each  other  by  the  throat,  in  the  midst 
of  the  screaming  and  gesticulations  of  thirty  or  forty 
around,  who  gradually  became  more  excited,  until  all 
joined.      After  half  an   hour  of  pushing   and  jolting 
they  separated,  either  from  fatigue  or  mutual  consent, 
and   as    nobody   was    hurt   we    succeeded    in   getting 
the  right  boat,  and  crossed  the  river  among  a  crowd 
of  natives.     We  looked  upon  it  as  an  Egyptian  scene, 
and  were  much  amused.     Arrived   at   Gizeh,  we   re- 
mounted and  pursued  our  way.     My  saddle  required 
arrangement,   and  consequently,    when   ready,    I   was 
the  last,  with  only  my  guide  and  Thaddeus.     While 
galloping  through  the  village  to  overtake  the  party,  my 
donkey  stumbled  and  fell,  but,  happily,  I  was  able  to 
disengage  my  foot  from  the  stirrup,  and  jumped  to  the 
ground  without  being  hurt.     Thaddeus  helped  me  to 
remount,  and  soon  we  rejoined  the  others.     Leaving 
Gizeh,  we  passed  through  an  irregular  plain,  planted 
with  groves  of  palm-trees,  and  scattered  here  and  there 
were  a  few  Arabian  villages  ;   we  followed  the  road 
straight   to   the   Pyramids,  having   on   our   right   the 
battle-field  of  Napoleon.     The  more  you  advance,  the 
more  the  three  great  monuments  increase  in  size  and  in 
imposing  aspect,  especially  as  you  see  them  between  the 
palms.     Nothing  grander  can  be  conceived  than  this 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SODL.  51 

vast  green  plain,  with  its  rich  groves,  and  behind  as 
background  the  three  colossi,  detaching  themselves 
from  the  fawn-colored  border  of  the  desert,  overflowing 
with  light.  A  new  road,  intended  for  a  railway,  has 
been  lately  built,  said  to  be  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
the  Empress  Eugenie  to  the  Pyramids,  when  she  will 
pay  a  visit  to  the  Pacha  ;  it  was  the  first  news  we  had 
of  it.  Before  arriving  at  the  Pyramids,  the  water  of  the 
Nile  not  having  all  disappeared  from  the  canal,  we  had 
to  cross  it  three  times,  carried  by  the  Arabs,  who  were 
there  in  numbers,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  travellers. 
We  were  each  of  us  compelled  to  have  four  of  them,  and 
it  was  no  easy  job  for  either  party.  The  water  in  some 
places  was  so  deep  that  they  were  up  to  their  waists, 
and  we  did  not  feel  perfectly  safe  on  their  shoulders.  I 
know,  for  my  part,  I  was  afraid  that  at  any  moment  I 
might  accidentally  take  a  cold  bath,  but  there  was 
probably  no  danger,  and  we  arrived  safely  at  the 
Pyramids,  after  walking  for  nearly  half  an  hour  in  the 
desert.  I  cannot  say  that  I  like  its  monotonous 
appearance,  nor  do  I  participate  in  the  pleasure  which 
some  persons  find  in  crossing  it ;  and  for  two,  three, 
and  four  weeks,  having  no  other  view  than  the  sand 
reflecting  the  rays  of  the  sun.  We  rested  for  some 
time  at  the  foot  of  the  Pyramids,  surrounded  by  fifty 
Arabs,  each  one  anxious  to  help  us  in  the  ascent,  and, 
while  we  were  waiting,  wishing  to  display  their  skill  in 
going  up  and  down  the  great  Cheops.  Their  language 
was  very  amusing,  and  it  is  astonishing  how  readily  they 
pick  up  foreign  tongues.  Some  of  them  spoke  French, 
German,  English,  and  Italian  well  enough  to  be  under- 


52  THE   NILOMETEK    AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

stood.  "  "Want  to  see  Arab  go  up  the  Pyramid  in  five 
minutes,  up  and  down;  want  to  see  it?  a  shilling." 
When  we  sought  for  the  cleanest  of  them  to  help  us, 
they  chattered,  "  Me  clean,  me  a  good  Arab  ;  leeve  over 
there  in  one  of  these  villages ;  have  a  clean  house." 
Well,  we  made  our  choice  and  commenced  the  ascent, 
which  is  very  difficult,  the  steps  being  high  and  rough, 
some  of  them  measuring  about  three  feet  and  a  half, 
so  that  it  is  hard  to  make  the  ascent  without  help. 
Mr.  Rogers  went  first ;  I  followed ;  Tom  and  Aline 
came  last.  The  Pyramid  is  very  steep,  and  measures 
four  hundred  and  twenty-two  feet  vertically.  Each 
of  my  hands  was  taken  by  an  Arab,  while  two  be- 
hind pushed  me.  After  going  up  ten  or  twelve  steps 
I  commenced  to  feel  quite  nervous,  and  was  afraid  of 
ffettiii£  the  vertigo;  so  looking  neither  rio-ht  nor  left,  but 
straight  before  me,  I  ascended  as  quickly  as  any  lady 
ever  did,  to  the  astonishment  of  my  four  Bedouins.  I 
had  the  fortune  to  choose  good  ones,  who  did  not  pull 
me  too  rudely,  nor  annoy  me  by  continually  asking 
for  Dacksheesh.  They  have  an  amusing  song  with 
which  they  treat  you  during  the  ascent  and  descent: 
"Me  have  a  good  mistress;  if  she  satisfy,  me  satisfy; 
give  Arab  plenty  of  backsheesh."  I  only  rested  once, 
and  arrived  on  the  platform  of  the  Pyramid  in  twelve 
minutes.  Mr.  Pogers  was  there  two  minutes  before 
me.  I  sat  down,  and  needed  at  least  four  minutes 
to  regain  my  breath.  Tom  then  made  his  appear- 
ance, having  been  detained  looking  after  Aline,  who, 
after  going  up  part  of  the  way,  found  it  too  dilfi- 
cult,  and  returned.     The  view  we  had  from  the  plat- 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  53 

form  was  admirable,  the  son  coloring  the  immense,  at- 
tractive, and  fascinating  panorama. 

Before  us  the  Nile  was  stretching  forth  in  the  midst 
of  a  great  carpet  of  verdure,  where,  strewed  as  gray 
spots,  are  seen  the  narrow,  straggling  villages  of  Gizeh, 
Fostat,  and  Bonlak ;  beyond,  the  tall  minarets  and 
domes  of  Cairo,  its  high  citadel,  and  the  summits  of  the 
Makattam  ;  on  the  right,  the  Pyramids,  and  the  fields 
where  Memphis  once  was  ;  at  all  the  other  points  of  the 
horizon,  a  desert  waste.  Nothing  is  more  striking  than 
the  contrast  of  the  green  valley  of  the  Nile  against  the 
warm  tints  of  the  sand,  which  oners  to  the  view  an 
extensive,  knobbed,  and  rugged  surface,  dotted  with 
undecided-shaped  red  and  fawn-colored  hills,  in  the 
midst  of  which  the  playing  light  produces  effects  the 
most  powerful  and  unexpected.  Having  descended,  we 
found  Aline  waiting  for  us  at  the  entrance  to  the  inte- 
rior chambers,  in  a  great  state  of  excitement.  It  appears 
when  she  desired  to  go  down,  the  Arabs,  thinking  they 
would  not  get  any  backsheesh,  pretended  they  did  not 
understand  her  ;  they  pulled  her  so  much  that  her  dress 
was  torn,  and  it  was  only  by  promising  them  "  many  " 
backsheesh  she  could  manage  to  be  obeyed.  We  took 
our  lunch  amid  the  confusion  created  by  the  noise  and 
chattering  of  fifty  Arabs  standing  around  ;  when  speak- 
ing together,  it  always  seems  as  though  they  are  quar- 
relling. All  had  some  curiosities  and  antiquities  to 
offer  for  sale.  We  bought  a  few,  as  a  reminiscence  of 
Cheops,  and,  attended  by  our  guides,  visited  the  interior 
chambers.  One  is  called  the  king's  chamber,  the  other, 
the  queen's.     In  the  former  is  still  a  sarcophagus,  with- 


54:  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

out  ornaments  or  hieroglyphics,  in  which  the  royal 
mummy  was  deposited.  The  rooms  were  so  close  and 
warm,  and  also  so  difficult  of  access,  that  we  were  glad 
to  make  our  exit  and  breathe  the  fresh  air  again. 

Near  the  Pyramids  are  situated  numerous  tombs  and 
the  Sphinx ;  the  principal  of  the  former  being  near  the 
small  pyramids,  on  a  large  esplanade  of  basaltic  rocks, 
is  literally  honeycombed  with  sepulchral  pits,  which 
in  the  centre  are  disposed  six  rows  deep.  The  greater 
number  belonged  to  high  functionaries  and  eminent 
personages  of  the  first  Pharaoh's  court.  To  the  east  of 
the  second  pyramid  is  the  celebrated  Sphinx.  The  ac- 
cumulated sand  of  ages  covers  all  the  inferior  part ;  but 
the  face,  though  mutilated  and  broken,  is  still  grand.  It 
is  the  representation  of  a  lion  couchant,  with  a  human 
head  and  neck,  measuring  from  the  chin  to  the  tip  of 
the  forehead  about  thirty  feet,  cut  in  a  mass  of  rock, 
and  dates  from  the  XVIIIth  dynasty.  At  three  o'clock 
we  took  leave  of  our  escort,  having  given  twenty  dollars 
of  backsheesh,  and  yet  were  asked  for  more.  We  again 
mounted  our  donkeys,  and  on  our  way  back,  asked  our- 
selves which  had  most  amused  us :  the  Pyramids  or  the 
Arabs?  At  five  p.m.  we  arrived  at  the  hotel,  very 
tired ;  I  particularly  so,  not  being  accustomed  to  riding 
much  on  donkey-lack.  Before  dinner  we  took  a  bath, 
in  order  to  free  ourselves  of  any  Egyptian  plagues,  that 
might  have  domiciled  themselves  on  our  persons;  and 
passed  the  evening  in  company  with  Mr.  Tibbets,  and 
Mr.  Forrest,  the  agreeable  proprietor  of  the  hotel.  Aline 
amused  herself  in  pla}ring  billiards  with  Mr.  Forrest  and 
Tom  ;  but  I  felt  so  fatigued  that  at  eight  o'clock  I  retired. 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  55 

Thursday,  December  19. 

Yesterday  and  to-day  have  been  passed  in  looking  at 
the  preparations  on  the  boat,  and  shopping. 

It  is  not  unusual  that  parties  proposing  to  ascend  the 
Nile,  having  made  selection  of  a  satisfactory  boat  or 
dahabeeh,  are  not  pleased  with  the  name  adopted  by 
the  owner,  or  perhaps  selected  by  the  occupants  of  a 
former  year.  Our  boat,  as  I  have  previously  stated, 
was  named  the  Pelican,  which  by  general  consent  we 
changed  to  Oriental.  As  there  are  no  European  paint- 
ers in  Cairo,  it  is  necessary  to  give  the  owner  of  the 
boat  an  exact  copy  of  the  lettering  desired,  and  a  half 
sovereign.  The  Arab  artist  daubs  it  on  as  well  as  he 
is  able,  without  comprehending  in  the  least  what  he  is 
doing.  Our  "  Oriental,"  indeed,  was  executed  so  badly 
that  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  were  compelled  to  turn  sign- 
painters,  erase  the  Arab's  work,  and  repaint  the  name, 
which  they  did  in  a  really  artistic  and  workmanlike 
manner.  An  English  party  who  had  engaged  a  neigh- 
boring craft  were  not  so  successful.  Determining  to  re- 
christen  her  the  Sphinx,  they  had  given  a  slip  of  paper 
with  the  word  carefully  printed  thereon  to  the  owner, 
who  promised  to  have  it  ready  the  night  before  their 
departure.  Imagine  their  horror,  upon  arriving  the 
next  morning,  and  everything  complete,  to  find  the 
name  very  cleverly  painted  'xmndg 

Friday,  December  20. 
In  the  morning  we  drove  to  Heliopolis,  which  takes 
about  two  hours  to  reach  from  Cairo,  and  is  the  prettiest 
drive  we  have  yet  taken  in  Egypt.     Nothing  is  left  of 


56  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   TnE   SACEED   SOIL. 

the  once  beautiful  city ;  no  remains  are  to  be  seen  of 
the  handsome  Temple  of  the  Sun,  and  the  long  avenue 
of  sphinxes  and  obelisks.  Several  of  them  have  been 
taken  to  Alexandria,  and  those  known  as  Cleopatra's 
Needles  came  hence  ;  one  is  in  Rome,  and  some  say 
that  the  one  in  Paris  also  came  from  Heliopolis,  which 
is  a  mistake,  however,  as  it  came  from  Luxor.  The  only 
obelisk  remaining  is  twenty-one  metres  in  height,  and 
the  most  ancient  in  all  Egypt.  Returning  to  the  city, 
we  stopped  at  Matarieh  to  see  the  Virgin  Tree,  a  beau- 
tiful sycamore,  under  which  it  is  said  Joseph  and  Mary, 
with  the  Holy  Child,  rested  during  a  night  as  they 
were  travelling  into  Egypt.  "Whether  true  or  not,  the 
roots  are  of  an  incredible  age,  undoubtedly  from  the 
fact  that  century  after  century  they  seem  to  be  renewed 
by  shoots  succeeding  the  decaying  trunk.  The  present 
tree  is  an  irregular  bunch  of  trunks  grown  together, 
making  a  circumference  of  over  thirty  feet,  with  a  com- 
paratively scanty  foliage  on  its  huge  limbs. 

In  the  afternoon  we  went  to  see  the  whirling  dervishes. 
The  room  in  which  the  religious  waltz  takes  place  is 
similar  to  a  dancing-room  or  theatre.  A  floor  smoothly 
waxed,  and  surrounded  by  a  balustrade,  is  in  the  centre  ; 
light  colonnades  support  a  gallery  for  the  women  and 
true  Mussulmen,  the  Europeans  being  seated  on  chairs 
around  the  balustrade.  We  there  met  Mr.  Tibbets,  and 
several  other  persons  from  the  hotel.  After  waiting  some 
time,  the  dervishes  made  their  appearance,  preceded  by 
a  high  priest,  who,  with  his  hands  crossed  upon  his  breast, 
walked  solemnly  to  a  piece  of  carpet  spread  on  the 
floor,  and,  after  bowing  twice,  sat  down  upon  it.     His 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  57 

followers,  after  bowing  respectfully  to  him,  took  their 
places,  and  for  one  or  two  minutes  kept  a  profound  si- 
lence, with  their  heads  leaning  on  their  breasts.  The 
head-dress  of  these  Mussulman  monks  consists  of  a  thick 
brown  felt  cap,  looking  exactly  like  an  inverted  flower- 
pot. A  vest  and  waistcoat  of  unbleached  muslin ;  an 
immense  plaited  skirt  of  the  same  color ;  and  narrow 
white  drawers  complete  their  costume.  The  prayer 
commenced,  and  with  it  the  genuflexions,  the  prostra- 
tions, the  ordinary  affectation  of  the  Mussulman  wor- 
ship, which  would  be  laughable  were  it  not  for  the 
conviction  of  their  sincerity  and  the  gravity  of  the  faith- 
ful. For  a  while  Aline  and  I  could  hardly  restrain  our- 
selves, and  it  was  only  by  the  exercise  of  great  self-con- 
trol that  we  succeeded  in  keeping  serious.  The  psalm- 
ody of  the  Koran  was  accompanied  by  flutes  and  dar- 
boukas  ;  the  latter  marking  the  rhythm,  while  the  flutes 
performed  in  unison  a  chant,  in  an  elevated  tone  and  of 
infinite  sweetness.  Immovable  in  the  midst  of  the  en- 
closure, the  dervishes  seemed  to  be  intoxicated  with  that 
music  so  delicately  barbarous.  After  a  time  one  of  them 
opened  his  arms,  raised  them,  and  commenced  to  turn 
slowly,  then  faster,  and  still  faster ;  a  second,  then  a 
third  one  imitated  him,  until  at  length  all  of  them  joined 
in  an  irresistible  whirling,  making  us  feel  quite  dizzy 
looking  at  them  turning  so  monotonously,  and  we  did  not 
understand  how  they  could  continue  it  so  long.  It  was 
amusing  to  notice  the  profound  exaltation  expressed 
on  their  faces,  their  eyes  fixed  towards  heaven,  the 
hands  crossed  on  the  breast,  turning  and  turning — they 
seemed  to  be  in  a  perfect  ecstasy.  All  aj;  once  fhey 
3* 


58  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

stopped,  and  remained  quiet  for  a  few  minutes ;  then,  the 
music  commencing  again  quicker  than  ever,  they  recom- 
menced their  waltzing,  excited  more  and  more  by  the 
singing  of  the  imaums  above  in  the  gallery.  Thaddeus 
told  us  it  would  continue  thus  until  the  end,  so  we 
retired,  and,  entering  our  carriage,  did  a  little  shopping, 
and  afterwards  made  a  visit  to  our  boat.  Everything 
will  be  ready  by  to-morrow.  We  reached  the  hotel  in 
time  for  dinner,  and  were  surprised  to  find  a  band  of 
music,  which  gave  us  as  many  tunes  as  we  had  courses. 
About  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  all  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  were  invited  to  the  dining-room,  "  sans  cere- 
monie"  to  have  a  dance.  Tom  renewed  acquaintance 
with  Lord  Francis  Conyngham,  who  visited  America 
ten  years  ago,  and  had  often  been  entertained  by  him. 
Lord  Francis  was  delis-hted  to  meet  him  ao;ain,  and  in- 
troduced  him  to  his  lady,  the  daughter  of  the  Marquis 
of  Tredegar.  They  arrived  yesterday,  with  three  Eng- 
lish gentlemen,  Rev.  Mr.  Wight,  Rev.  R.  W.  Yukes, 
and  Mr.  Ilamson.  They  intend  going  up  the  Nile  as 
far  as  the  first  cataract  only,  their  time  being  limited, 
and  have  engaged  two  dahabeehs,  the  "  Bund  "  for  Lord 
and  Lady  Conyngham,  while  the  other  gentlemen  will 
occupy  the  "  No  Name  "  !  Their  boats  will  probably  be 
ready  by  next  Tuesday,  and  if  the  wind  fails  until  that 
time,  perhaps  we  will  start  together.  Tom  introduced 
us  to  Lord  Conyngham,  who  invited  us  to  dance : 
Aline  accepted,  but  I  had  to  refuse,  feeling  still  too 
fatigued  from  my  Pyramid  ascension  to  indulge  in  a 
waltz.  An  American  family  named  Messenger,  from 
Brooklyn,  consisting  of  father,  mother,  and  two  daugh- 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL.  59 

ters,  has  just  arrived,  and  intend  going  up  the  Kile  as 
far  as  the  second  cataract.  At  dinner,  to-day,  we  were 
joined  by  Mr.  Forrest  and  an  English  General,  on  his 
way  to  India,  whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  and  among 
the  guests  whom  Mr.  Forrest  pointed  out  to  us  was  the 
celebrated  Lady  Franklin,  also  en  route  for  India. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

OUR   DAHABEEII  —  ITS    CREW—  TIIE    START — FIRST   DATS   ON 

THE      NILE — CHRISTMAS    ILLUMINATION A      DANGEROUS 

WEAPON — COMPETITION — WASHING-DAY. 

Saturday,  December  21,  1867. 
|LL  our  morning  and  part  of  the  afternoon 
were  devoted  to  shopping,  and  I  do  not  know 
when  we  will  finish ;  so  many  little  things  are 
required  for  so  long  a  journey.  At  four 
o'clock  we  left  the  hotel,  after  thanking  Mr.  Forrest  for 
all  his  kindness  to  us  during  our  stay,  and  arrived  at 
five  with  our  baggage  on  board  our  dahabeeh.  El- 
Adli  was  not  there,  but  we  were  received  by  the  crew 
in  a  respectful  and  pleasant  manner.  Abousaid,  our 
private  servant,  had  the  table  set  ready  for  dinner,  and 
everything  appeared  truly  oriental,  except  our  salon  and 
table  :  they  looked  so  cheerful  and  Parisian  that  we  felt 
at  home  at  once,  and  sat  down  to  the  best  dinner  we  had 
eaten  since  leaving  Paris.  We  had  soup,  four  courses, 
pastry,  and  dessert — counting  eleven  dishes.  The  qua- 
lity and  style  of  the  cooking,  the  neatness  and  taste  dis- 
played, relieved  us  of  any  apprehension  regarding  the 
merit  of  our  cook  and  waiters.  Our  cook  Gabriel  is 
second  to  none  on  the  Nile,  very  neat,  prompt,  and  good- 
natured,  abstaining  like  all  the  crew,  captain  and  ser- 
vants, from  intoxicating  drinks.  After  dinner  we  ar- 
ranged the  state-rooms  which  had  been  assigned  to  each 


THE   NILOHETEE    AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  Gl 

of  us,  and  El-Adli  having  arrived  gave  orders  that  the 
"  Oriental  "  should  be  moored  in  the  stream,  ready  to 
take  advantage  of  the  first  fair  wind.  We  afterwards 
went  on  deck,  and  enjoyed  exceedingly  the  loveliness  of 
our  first  evening  on  the  Nile,  while  twenty  lanterns 
lighted  up  and  fixed  to  the  yard  marked  the  event. 
Two  dahabeehs  were  moored  not  far  from  us :  one, 
named  the  "  Crocodile,"  under  English  colors,  hav- 
ing two  gentlemen  on  board  with  whom  we  became 
acquainted  while  at  the  New  Hotel ;  the  other,  named 
the  "  Estella,"  under  German  colors,  with  a  party  of 
four — two  English  and  two  German — and  we  will  prob- 
ably all  start  together.  What  a  lovely  evening  !  The 
sky,  of  a  deep  blue,  is  lighted  up  only  by  the  stars. 
Our  fifteen  men,  dressed  in  dark  loose  robes,  white 
trousers,  with  white  and  red  turbans,  are  seated  in 
a  circle  playing  on  drums  and  tambourines,  an  accom- 
paniment to  their  peculiarly  plaintive  Arab  song. 
Our  dragoman,  the  reis,  steersman,  cook,  and  boy 
are  grouped  around  them  on  the  deck,  and  the  lanterns 
under  the  awning  light  up  the  dusky  countenances  of 
the  crew,  forming  in  all  a  very  interesting  study.  We 
took  the  small-boat  and  rowed  down  the  river,  to  take 
a  look  at  our  dahabeeh,  while  the  song  floats  to  us  from 
afar.  The  "  Crocodile  "  and  "Estella"  have  hung  up 
some  lights  also.  At  ten  we  return  to  our  boat  and  re- 
tire for  the  night. 

Sunday,  December  22. 
We  arose  at  eight  o'clock,  took  a  very  good  break- 
fast at  nine,  consisting  of  three  courses  and  fruits,  with 


62  TIIE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

excellent  coffee.  At  ten,  Thaddeus  having  arrived  with 
the  carriage,  we  drove  to  the  English  chapel  in  Cairo, 
where  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wight,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Yukes,  was  to  preach.  Being  a  little  late,  we  found 
npon  entering  that  the  congregation  were  assembled 
and  prayers  already  commenced.  The  sermon  was  poor, 
but  the  hymns  were  sung  beautifully,  and,  as  we  were 
strangers  in  a  foreign  land,  selected  most  appropriately 
for  the  occasion.  After  church  Mr.  Forrest  invited  us 
to  take  lunch  at  the  hotel,  but  we  declined,  fearing  to 
spoil  our  appetites  for  dinner.  We  drove  to  the  hotel, 
however,  and,  attended  by  several  gentlemen,  among 
them  Lord  Conyngham,  went  on  top  of  the  house, 
which  affords  a  view  almost  as  beautiful  as  the  one 
we  had  from  the  Citadel.  At  two  we  were  back  at 
our  new  home,  of  which  I  shall  now  give  a  descrip- 
tion. 

Our  dahabeeh  is  built  of  wood,  with  a  large  saloon, 
four  state-rooms,  and  a  small  saloon  in  the  stern — the 
whole  occupying  about  one-half  the  length  of  the  boat. 
She  is  very  neatly  painted  and  decorated,  perfectly 
clean,  very  nicely  furnished,  with  blue  and  gold  damask 
curtains,  and  similar  draperies  at  the  doors ;  divans  and 
chairs  to  match  ;  tables,  large  French  mirrors,  pictures, 
rich  carpets,  and  an  excellent  and  full  supply  of  dinner 
and  kitchen  ware,  bed  and  table  linen,  silverware,  etc., 
etc.  The  closets,  bath-room,  water-filterer,  pantry,  and 
lastly  the  kitchen,  on  the  bow  of  the  boat,  are  all  in  per- 
fect order.  The  quarter-deck  is  well  supplied  with 
woollen  damask  divans,  marble-top  table,  chairs,  etc. 
We  found  her  measurement  to  be  96  feet  in  length,  by 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  63 

14^  in  breadth ;  the  saloon,  12  by  12 ;  state-rooms,  6  by  4 
feet  8 ;  after  saloon,  9  by  10.  She  draws  about  thirty -three 
inches  of  water,  has  the  cabins  sunk  twenty-eight  inches 
below  deck,  the  height  of  which  is  six  and  a  half  feet. 
The  gunwale  is  eleven  inches  above  deck,  and  twenty- 
nine  inches  out  of  water.  She  carries,  on  a  mast  stepped 
well  forward,  a  large  lateen  sail,  extending  on  a  spar  120 
feet  in  length,  which  is  lashed  to  the  head  of  the  mast, 
and  shifted  forward  of  it.  A  smaller  mast  is  stepped 
entirely  aft  of  the  helm  or  tiller,  on  which  a  similar  sail, 
less  than  a  quarter  the  size  of  the  foresail,  is  lashed  in 
the  same  manner,  and  the  sheet  runs  through  a  project- 
ing boom  from  the  stern.  She  has  twelve  oars,  and  a 
crew  consisting  of  the  captain,  second  captain,  twelve 
men,  steersman,  cook,  and  boy.  We  have  a  far  greater 
provision  of  flags  than  any  boat  we  have  seen  on  the 
Nile.  From  the  peak  of  the  main-yard  our  streamer,  of 
which  the  first  twenty  feet  is  blue  and  stars,  with  the 
rest  white  and  red,  waves  seventy-two  feet  from  its  hall- 
iard. A  similar  extra  one  is  attached  to  the  small  yard, 
being  thirty-six  feet  long,  the  ordinary  length  of  those 
in  use.  From  the  small  mast  aft  waves  the  American 
flag,  7  by  12.  A  red  flag,  7  by  12,  with  the  word  Orien- 
tal, in  white  letters,  is  hoisted  generally  below  the  long 
pennant,  while  a  huge  white  flag,  twenty  feet  by  nine 
feet,  with  the  words  New  York,  in  black  letters,  is 
hoisted  on  extra  occasions  on  a  halliard  extending  half 
way  up  the  main-yard;  and  one  hundred  and  ten 
red,  white,  and  blue  lanterns  are  ready  for  illumina- 
tions. 


64:  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

Monday,  December  23, 
Finds  us  still  at  anchor,  with  a  light  head-wind. 
After  lunch  Tom  and  Aline  went  again  to  the  bazars 
shopping,  while  Mr.  Rogers  and  I  remained  on  board. 
At  three  the  wind  changed.  We  perceived  the  EsteUa 
and  Crocodile  preparing  to  spread  their  sails ;  how  un- 
fortunate that  Tom  and  Aline  were  out,  for  it  delayed 
us  several  hours  in  starting.  All  our  sailors  returned 
from  shore  ;  suddenly  El-Adli  arrived  in  great  haste,  and 
gave  the  signal  of  departure.  He  had  sent  a  man  of  the 
crew  to  find  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferris,  with  instructions  to 
meet  us  at  Old  Cairo.  So  at  half-past  three,  half  an 
hour  behind  the  Crocodile  and  Estella,  we  tripped 
anchor  and  commenced  our  voyage.  I  went  upon  deck 
to  enjoy  the  sight,  with  all  my  enthusiastic  feelings  at 
their  height.  How  splendid  does  our  dahabeeh  look ! 
how  gracefully  do  our  streamers  fly  in  the  air !  Our 
bellying  sails,  with  a  dark  border,  look  beautiful.  "What 
a  pity  Tom  and  Aline  are  away !  how  they  would  enjoy 
this  too  !  What  a  glorious  sunset !  I  have  seldom  wit- 
nessed one  so  brilliant.  The  little  sails  on  the  opposite 
shore  are  reflected  clearly  on  the  water ;  the  sky,  from 
blue,  changes  to  more  than  twenty  colors,  until  finally 
the  orb  sinks  below  the  horizon  towards  Gizeh  and  the 
Pyramids,  coloring  all  the  surroundings  with  a  golden 
tint.  The  wind  was  fresh,  but  Mr.  Rogers  and  myself 
did  not  move  from  the  deck.  No  twilight  intervening 
between  day  and  night,  Ave  were  soon  enveloped  in  total 
darkness.  The  time  was  nearly  six,  and  I  was  sroinfr  to 
tell  Mohammed  to  light  our  signal  lanterns,  when  I 
thought  I  recognized  the  voice  of  Aline  coming  from  a 


THE   MILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  65 

little  boat  on  the  river.  We  called  loudly,  and  were 
answered.  Having  waited  for  more  than  one  hour  at 
Old  Cairo  in  an  open  carriage,  being  cold  and  tired, 
they  resolved  to  come  in  search  of  us,  and  happily  had 
crossed  our  way.  "We  took  a  late  dinner  and  then 
went  upon  deck  to  enjoy  the  sailing;  but  the  wind  had 
died  out,  so  we  anchored  a  short  distance  beyond  the 
island  of  Hhoda,  having  passed  the  Crocodile,  while  the 
Estella  was  still  ahead  of  us. 

Tuesday,  December  24. 
The  weather  beautiful,  but  calm ;  the  men  tracked  or 
towed  the  boat  all  the  morning.  At  ten  o'clock,  the  wind 
having  changed,  we  spread  our  sail,  and  soon  passed  the 
Estella,  which  had  run  aground  on  a  sand-bank.  We 
enjoy  our  quiet  life,  a  correct  idea  of  which  will  be 
found  in  the  following  extract  from  Mr.  Warren's  de- 
scription of  "  Life  on  a  Nile  Boat "  : — "  The  charm  of 
the  life  on  a  Nile-boat  is  not  to  be  met  with  in  a  steam- 
er, or  in  any  other  way  of  locomotion.  It  consists  of 
the  traveller  being  a  perfect  king  on  his  dahabeeh, 
master  of  her  movements,  stopping  when  and  where  he 
pleases,  with  servants  to  do  his  bidding.  If  he  is  fond 
of  sporting,  myriads  of  wildfowl  abound  along  the  banks 
of  the  river.  His  boat  has,  besides  all  the  comforts  of  a 
hotel,  professed  cooks  that  excite  his  wonder  by  the  va- 
riety and  qualhVv  of  the  dishes  served  up  by  well-trained 
and  painstaking  servants.  The  air  is  balsamic,  the  sky 
clear,  such  as  is  only  experienced  in  Egypt;  the  climate 
is  perpetual  spring,  without  a  drop  of  rain,  while  the  in- 
sensible gliding  of  the  boat  along  the  stream  invites  to 


66  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

charming  recreation  in  writing,  drawing,  reading,  etc. 
Such  a  home  on  the  Kile,  with  its  serene  cheerfulness 
and  freedom  from  all  restraint,  has  a  charm  and  novelty 
for  its  season  without  satiety.  Cut  off  as  it  were  from  the 
world  (except  now  and  then  meeting  a  friend  afloat), 
business,  politics,  cares  of  all  kinds,  everything  is  for- 
gotten but  country  and  friends  left  behind,  in  this  slow- 
ly moving  of  the  panorama  of  a  world  so  full  of  won- 
ders, containing  the  monuments  of  an  age  and  people 
challenging  the  admiration  of  every  beholder."  We 
stopped  tracking  at  six,  tied  up  to  the  shore,  and  slept 
at  Sorfaj'e. 

"Wednesday,  December  25. 
A  beautiful  morning,  the  sky  of  such  a  deep  blue,  and 
all  of  us  in  fine  spirits.  "  Merry  Christmas  to  all !  " 
Breakfast  being  over,  we  read  together  a  portion  of  the 
Bible  relating  to  the  birth  of  Christ ;  then  Tom  went 
upon  deck  and  fired  a  salute  in  honor  of  the  day,  after 
which  he  and  Mr.  Bogers  employed  themselves  preparing 
the  lanterns  for  the  illumination,  Aline  in  reading  the 
Bible,  and  I  in  writing.  The  day  passed  away  quietly, 
with  a  head-wind,  and  at  five  we  were  served  with  a 
splendid  dinner,  worthy  of  more  guests  than  our  poor 
selves.  Vermicelli  potage,  fricassee  of  chicken,  roast 
lamb  and  cauliflower,  peas,  an  enormous  turkey  with 
salad,  dessert  composed  of  twenty-two  dishes,  and  four 
kinds  of  wine,  the  last  of  which  was  champagne,  compo- 
sed our  Christmas  fefist.  In  the  afternoon  the  men 
decorated  our  boat,  and  in  order  to  go  ashore  we  had  to 
pass  through  an  awning  of  palm-leaves.     In  the  evening 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  67 

we  had  a  splendid  illumination — one  hundred  and  ten 
red,  white,  and  blue  lanterns  gracefully  trimmed  our 
boat,  while  the  men  all  joined  in  singing  their  Arab 
songs  and  choruses,  and  thus  passed  away  our  pleasant 
evening. 

Thursday,  December  26. 
We  arose  late  ;  both  Aline  and  I  had  a  slight  head- 
ache, which  was  probably  the  effect  of  the  champagne 
yesterday. .  Tom  was  up  at  sunrise,  and  took  a  photo- 
graphic view  of  the  boat,  and  after  breakfast  passed  his 
time  in  drawing.  I  sat  down  on  the  deck  and  sketched 
an  Egyptian  house,  with  some  palm-trees.  Just  as  I 
was  finishing,  we  received  a  visit  from  the  two  English- 
men of  the  Crocodile,  whose  boat  is  anchored  half  a 
mile  below,  with  the  JEstella  near  them.  We  remained 
tied  up,  as  the  head-wind  was  so  strong  it  prevented  the 
men  tracking.  The  view  we  have  before  us  is  very 
poor ;  a  mud  village,  with  a  few  palm-trees.  At  four 
o'clock  we  commenced  to  track,  but  the  adverse  wind 
still  continued  so  strong  that  we  tied  up  for  the  night 
only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  beyond  our  position  of  the  pre- 
ceding day. 

Friday,  December  27. 
We  arose  at  eight  a.m.,  took  breakfast  at  nine,  and 
prepared  for  a  walk  on  shore.  Before  leaving  the  boat, 
as  Tom  was  examining  his  pistols,  one  of  the  side  cham- 
bers of  the  old  one  suddenly  exploded,  and  the  ball, 
after  striking  against  the  wood  of  a  chair,  ricocheted  on 
a  divan.     We  were  standing  near  him,  and  it  was  a 


68  THE   NILOMETER   AND   TIIE   SACRED   SOIL. 

benediction  of  God  that  one  of  us  was  not  wounded  or 
killed.  The  pistol  was  evidently  not  in  good  condition, 
and  we  felt  how  thankful  we  ought  to  be  for  our  escape. 
How  near  is  sorrow  to  happiness  !  death  would  have 
met  one  of  us  laughing. 

Our  walk  was  not  very  pleasant,  as  the  furious  wind 
blew  the  sand  about  us  until  our  eyes  were  filled  with  it. 
Notwithstanding,  we  passed  through  the  village  of  Chao- 
bak,  a  very  dirty  place  ;  the  men  lazily  lounged  on  the 
ground,  and  a  crowd  of  children  followed  us  ;  our  guides, 
with  their  sticks,  had  much  trouble  to  prevent  them  com- 
ing too  near.  Having  gone  as  far  as  the  dahabeeh  Croc- 
odile, we  there  met  the  gentlemen  of  the  Estdla,  but  as 
the  path  to  go  on  board  was  very  steep,  we  concluded  to 
let  Tom  pay  his  visit  alone,  and  pursued  our  walk.  The 
annoyance  of  the  dust,  though,  soon  tired  us,  and  we  re- 
turned to  our  dahabeeh,  and  passed  our  afternoon  sew- 
ing and  reading.  At  six  o'clock  a  light  breeze  sprang 
up,  and  we  commenced  to  sail;  but  it  only  lasted  until 
eight,  when  we  tied  up,  leaving  the  Crocodile  and  Es- 
tella  some  miles  behind. 

Saturday,  December  28. 

This  morning,  earl}7,  Tom  went  shooting,  and  killed 
two  pigeons.  After  breakfast  we  all  went  out  walk- 
ing. The  weather  so  delightful,  the  sky  so  resplendent, 
the  air  so  pure  and  calm ;  what  a  charming  climate 
during  the  winter  months!  The  men  having  stopped 
tracking,  Tom  took  a  view  of  our  dahabeeh,  but  still 
it  did  not  prove  to  be  as  good  as  he  would  like  it.  lie 
then  went  shooting  again,  and  killed  three  more  pigeons 


TITE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL.  69 

and  some  other  birds.  A  slight  breeze  sprang  up  at 
twelve,  and  we  got  under  way,  but,  lasting  only  for  an 
hour,  we  tied  up  for  the  night  at  Kafr  Laiet.  In  the 
evening,  while  playing  bezique,  Ave  heard  men  shouting, 
and  going  on  deck  found  it  was  the  crew  of  the  Estella, 
who,  having  missed  the  American  boat,  when  daylight 
broke  this  morning,  helped  by  a  good  breeze  and  the 
tracking  of  their  men,  followed  _ until  they  had  over- 
taken us,  and  tied  up  behind  us  for  the  night.  A  little 
later  we  went  on  deck,  to  listen  to  our  men  singing  to 
the  accompaniment  of  their  music.  They  already  per- 
form much  better  than  at  first,  and  have  dropped  much 
of  their  timidity  as  we  ascend  the  Nile.  A  pleasant 
evening,  and  we  retired  at  ten. 

Sunday,  December  29. 
An  unusual  sight — the  sky  is  slightly  clouded  and  it 
is  quite  cold.  We  tracked  from  seven  till  ten,  and  stop- 
ped for  the  men  to  take  breakfast.  Tom  took  a  photo- 
graphic view  of  the  three  dahabeehs  ;  ours  ahead,  the 
Crocodile  after,  and  the  JEstella  last,  which  proved  to  be 
very  good.  He  also  took  one  of  the  upper-deck,  with  us 
all  seated  there.  At  twelve  a  slight  breeze  sprang  up 
and  we  commenced  sailing.  One  hour  after,  our  reis  (or 
captain),  instead  of  sending  the  little  boat,  ran  the  daha- 
beeh  ashore  to  get  eggs  and  vegetables,  brought  by  some 
women,  and  thus  allowed  the  Crocodile,  and  afterwards 
the  Estella  to  pass  us,  much  to  our  annoyance.  But  the 
Estella  soon  ran  aground,  and  we  repassed  her  ;  and  al- 
though Mr.  Laming,  one  of  her  party,  shouted  to  us  that 
we  would  soon  be  aground  also,  we  kept  ahead,  and  at 


TO  THE   NILOHETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

• 

half-past  five  tied  up  near  the  Crocodile,  with  the  Edel- 
la  still  behind  us.  During  dinner,  however,  the  Estella, 
contrary  to  the  etiquette  of  the  river,  tracked  past  both 
boats  and  moored  half  a  mile  ahead  of  us. 

Monday,  December  30. 
"We  had  a  slight  wind  from  the  south  ;  the  men  track- 
ed all  the  morning,  while  we  went  ashore  for  a  walk. 
Tom  took  his  gun,  and  killed  several  doves.  Having  a 
bad  headache,  I  was  compelled  to  retire  to  my  berth  in 
the  afternoon.  At  six  p.m.  we  tied  up  at  Rakkah,  or 
Kigga. 

Tuesday,  December  31. 
Until  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  remained  tied 
up,  being  washing-day,  There  was  no  wind,  and  theEs- 
tella  and  the  Crocodile  tracked  out  of  sight.  Here  was  an 
amusing  scene.  Four  men  were  washing,  others  fixing 
poles  in  the  ground,  and  attaching  ropes  thereon,  whilst 
Aline  and  I  busied  ourselves  making  starch.  It  was  the 
first  time  we  had  ever  attempted  it,  but  we  succeeded 
admirably.  Tom  thought  it  a  very  curious  sight  to  see 
us  all  so  industrious,  and  said  he  ought  to  take  a  photo- 
graphic view  of  us  in  our  new  vocation.  At  three,  a 
slight  breeze  having  sprung  up,  the  men  brought  their 
tubs,  soap,  and  clothes  on  board,  and  we  spread  sail — 
but  the  fickle  wind  lasted  only  a  short  time,  and  at  half- 
past  five  we  tied  up  for  the  night. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

VOYAGE  UP  THE   NILE RACES  WITH  THE  ESTELLA  AND  THE 

CROCODILE — EXCURSIONS  ON  SHORE EGYPTIANS  AS  THEY 

AKE — MEETING   OTHER   BOATS EXCITEMENT  ON  BOARD — 

IS  IT  A  CROCODILE    OR   LIZARD  ? ARRIVAL    AT    THEBES 

GRAND     ILLUMINATION — ONE   HUNDRED    AND    TEN    RED, 
WHITE,  AND   BLUE  LANTERNS MUSTAPHA  AGA. 

Wednesday,  January  1,  1868. 
BEAUTIFUL  bright  morning  for  New- 
Year's  Day,  but  yet  no  wind ;  so  we  com- 
menced tracking  at  seven  a.m.,  while  Tom  fired 
a  salute  in  honor  of  the  day.  The  scenery  on 
the  Kile,  thus  far,  has  been  very  tame,  and  I  may  say 
very  uninteresting ;  but  the  weather  has  been  so  delight- 
ful that  we  enjoy  our  new  mode  of  life  exceedingly.  At 
length  a  breeze  sprang  up,  and  at  eleven  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  Estella  and  Crocodile,  although,  having 
stopped  eight  hours  the  day  previous,  we  did  not  think 
we  should  overtake  them  so  soon.  At  half-past  eleven 
we  passed  the  Zarifa,  bound  down,  with  an  American 
family  on  board,  Col.  Rathburn,  wife,  and  sister — who 
were  recognized  by  Mr.  Rogers  as  acquaintances.  "We 
saluted  them  by  dipping  colors,  and  they  answered  in 
the  same  manner.  They  have  only  been  to  the  first  cat- 
aract.     Poor  Mohammed-el-Adli  felt  quite  disappoint- 


72  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

ed  that  we  bad  not  told  him  before  that  this  was  New- 
Year's  Day,  as  lie  wanted  to  give  us  a  dinner  similar 
to  that  on  Christmas ;  but  we  told  him  we  had  plenty 
with  our  ordinary  meal,  which  is  always  excellent.  The 
wind  increased,  so  that  we  passed  the  Crocodile  at  one 
o'clock,  and  at  half-past  one  the  Estella.  Her  people 
must  have  been  annoyed,  for  they  cannot  bear  the  idea 
that  we  should  be  ahead  of  them.  At  three  we  ran 
aground,  and  the  Estella  also  ;  but  she  got  clear  first,  for 
her  captain  and  steersman  seem  to  be  a  great  deal  smart- 
er than  ours,  and  she  took  the  lead,  her  party  feeling  very 
happy.  While  we  were  trying  to  get  clear  the  Croco- 
dile passed  us,  and  we  followed  her  half  a  mile  astern,  but 
rapidly  gained  on  her,  and  at  a  quarter  past  three  passed 
her.  Came  in  sight  of  Benessoef  at  six  p.m.,  and  El-Adli 
asked  us  if  we  wished  to  stop  :  but  as  the  wind  was  good 
we  told  him  to  keep  on.  Benessoef  looked  very  pretty 
from  the  boat ;  we  had  not  seen  so  much  vegetation  or 
so  many  trees  since  leaving  Cairo.  We  continued  sail- 
ing until  one  a.m.,  when  we  overtook  the  Estella,  and 
tied  up  near  her. 

Thursday,  January  2. 
Clear,  bright  morning,  but  light  wind.  We  were 
under  way  at  seven  a.m.,  when  the  Estella  poled  past 
us,  while  the  Crocodile  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  The 
morning  passed  very  quickly ;  in  fact,  at  twelve  o'clock, 
when  we  arrived  at  Bebah,  we  had  hardly  finished 
dressing.  We  took  a  pleasant  walk  to  the  village, 
through  groves  of  palm-trees  and  fields  of  beans  and 
corn.     It  was  market  day,  and  the  crowd  of  people 


Thk  "Omental." — See  page  ?::. 


THE   NILOMETEK   AKD   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  73 

was  very  picturesque,  and  here  for  the  first  time  we 
saw  children  entirely  naked.  "While  Mohammed  pur- 
chased lambs,  the  gentlemen  being  with  him,  we 
remained  in  the  shade,  with  our  guide,  to  wait  for 
them.  Soon  we  were  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  curious  to  see  Europeans.  Our 
guide  drove  the  men  away,  but  the  women  and  children 
remained  to  gaze  at  us.  At  last,  Mr.  Rogers  coming 
back  to  us,  and  feeling  tired  of  being  objects  of  so  much 
curiosity,  we  returned  to  our  dahabeeh,  and  as  we 
could  see  Tom  nowhere  in  the  crowd,  thought  he  had 
gone  shooting.  We  were  escorted  to  our  boat  by  nearly 
fifty  persons,  and  when  we  arrived  found  Tom  stretched 
out  on  the  sofa  on  deck,  laughing  heartily  to  see  us 
coming  thus  attended.  The  weather  being  exceedingly 
warm,  the  gentlemen  dressed  themselves  in  Egyptian 
costume,  which  made  them  look  cool  and  comfortable. 
Tom  then  occupied  himself  by  taking  several  views  of 
our  boat,  with  groups  of  Arabs  on  shore  and  palm-trees 
behind.  We  tied  up  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  the 
village,  with  the  Estella  in  advance  of  us.  For 
several  nights  we  have  had  clear  moonlight,  and  as  I 
prize  it  much  I  remained  on  deck,  lying  on  a  sofa, 
and  conversing  with.  Mr.  Rogers  until  half-past  nine. 


Friday,  January  3. 
Clear  morning  and  no  wind ;  nothing  remarkable  in 
the  scenery.     Passed  our  time  ironing,  braiding,  and 
reading.     The  Estella  is  still  ahead  of  us. 


74:  THE   NILOMETER   AND  THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

Saturday,  January  4. 
Tracked  until  nine  a.m.,  when  we,  as  well  as  the 
Estella,  tied  up  for  the  crew's  breakfast.  A  passenger 
steamer  stopped  with  a  party  of  Americans  on  board, 
and  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  to  speak  to  them.  They 
informed  them  that  on  the  way  up  they  had  passed  five 
American  and  three  English  boats,  while  they  reported 
the  Crocodile  a  short  distance  behind  us,  and  Mr. 
Messenger  and  family,  in  the  Messenger  Bird,  at 
Benessoef.  The  steamer  wanted  twenty-two  guineas  to 
tow  the  Estella  to  Siout,  but  as  the  price  was  exor- 
bitant, they  declined,  and  we  continued  tracking 
together.  A  light  wind  sprang  up  from  the  north  at 
six  p.m.,  and  at  half-past  seven  we  passed  the  Estella  by 
fair  sailing,  but  soon  she  took  the  lead  again  by  poling. 
At  eight  p.m.  both  boats  tied  up  until  midnight,  when 
the  wind  arose,  and  enabled  us  in  two  hours'  time  to 
reach  Cosaneh,  where  we  again  tied  up. 

Suxday,  January  5. 
We  got  under  way  at  nine  a.m.,  with  a  good  breeze; 
the  Estella  passed  us  a  half  hour  later.  At  half-past 
ten  we  were  abreast  the  Copt  convent,  situated  on  the 
hills  upon  the  eastern  bank,  called  "  Gebel-y-Tayr " 
(The  Hill  of  the  Birds).  Two  good  Christians,  at  least 
so  they  assured  us,  swam  out  from  the  shore,  and  getting 
into  our  yawl  called  lustily  for  backsheesh.  These  men 
are  Coptic  monks  ;  are  they  a  benefit  to,  or  an  excres- 
cence on,  the  Christian  religion?  A  large  new  daha- 
beeh,  called  the  Memphis,  under  the  Russian  ilag,  which 
our  dragoman  says  belongs  to  the  Russian  Consul,  and 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  75 

which,  has  been  iu  sight  all  the  morning,  overhauled  and 
passed  ns  at  noon  :  from  the  number  of  women  that 
we  saw,  we  supposed  that  gentleman  had  adopted  ori- 
ental life.  We  passed  Mineah  at  half-past  twelve,  where 
the  Memphis  stopped.  Passed  the  tombs  of  Beni-Has- 
san  at  five  p.m.  The  wind  being  favorable,  we  post- 
poned our  visit  until  our  return.  At  half-past  six  came 
to  anchor ;  no  wind,  the  sails  hung  in  folds,  and  the 
Estella  came  abreast  of  us,  tracking.  At  seven  a  light 
breeze  sprang  up,  when  we  tripped  anchor,  and  made 
for  the  western  bank,  where  we  found  the  wind  better. 
The  Estella? s  lights  were  visible  where  she  was  tied  up, 
becalmed  on  the  opposite  shore.  "We  covered  our  cabin 
windows  in  order  to  steal  a  march  on  her,  and  con- 
tinued sailing  with  a  light  breeze  until  midnight,  when 
the  wind  died  out  and  we  tied  up  at  Esbet. 

Monday,  January  6. 
With  a  light  breeze  we  got  under  way  at  seven 
a.m.  ;  at  nine  quite  calm  again,  and  the  men  on  shore 
tracking.  The  Estella  was  nowhere  in  sight.  Aline, 
who  has  been  a  little  indisposed  for  two  days,  was  bet- 
ter this  morning,  and  joined  us  on  deck  again.  We 
passed  Antinous  at  one,  and  Koda  at  two  p.m.  Roda 
looks  beautiful,  and  is  the  first  pretty  scenery  we  have 
had  on  the  Nile ;  the  country  being  well  cultivated, 
with  plenty  of  trees,  the  brown  Lybian  hills  make  a 
fine  background,  while  the  skies  are  as  usual  of  a  deep 
blue.  These  places  are  very  interesting,  but  we  will 
stop  to  visit  them  on  our  return.  While  writing,  Mr. 
Rogers  came  to  invite  me  to  take  a  walk,  and  as  the 


76  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

country  looked  so  tempting  I  cheerfully  acquiesced,  as 
all  around  is  so  green  and  bright.  For  the  tirst  time  I 
found  some  wild  flowers,  which  I  gathered  to  put  in 
our  albums.  The  sakyehs  were  in  great  number,  while 
several  fields  of  sugar-cane  were  in  sight.  The  gum- 
trees  are  plentifully  mixed  among  the  sycamores,  the 
acacias,  and  the  palm,  and  two  to  three  hours  slipped 
away  agreeably  before  we  regained  our  boat.  In  the 
evening  I  read  "  O'Donoghue,"  an  Irish  story,  by 
Lever,  which  transported  me  to  familiar  scenery.  The 
remainder  of  the  evening  passed  playing  hezique. 

Tuesday,  January  7. 
On  looking  out  of  the  window  at  seven  a.m.,  we  found 
that  the  Estella  had  tracked  up  to  us  during  the  night, 
and  was  tied  up  in  front.  We  heard  that  the  dragoman 
was  much  annoyed  when  he  found  in  the  morning  that 
the  American  hoot  was  again  gone,  and  gave  his  crew 
one  pound  to  catch  us,  which  induced  them  to  work 
nearly  all  night.  I  wrote  to-day  until  four  p.m.,  when  I 
went  on  deck  to  enjoy  the  lovely  scene.  Our  boat  was 
gliding  gracefully  over  the  water;  some  of  the  men 
were  sewing,  some  busy  at  the  sails,  while  others  were 
praying.  It  is  their  Ramadan,  and  for  thirty  days, 
from  sunrise  to  sunset,  they  cannot  touch  food.  Their 
religion  has  much  poetry  in  it.  When  they  pray, — 
which  they  do  repeatedly  during  the  day,  with  their 
faces  towards  Mecca, — having  previously  washed  their 
hands  and  faces,  they  prostrate  themselves  to  the 
ground  several  times  and  kiss  it,  then  crossing  their 
hands,  their  eyes  turned  heavenward,  implore  devoutly 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL.  77 

the  King  of  creation.     We  tied  up  for  the  night  at  Tel- 
el- Am  arn  a. 

Wednesday,  January  8. 
The  Estella  has  employed  a  steamer  to  tow  her  as  far 
as  Siont,  and  left  us  at  sunrise.  Good-by  to  our  com- 
petitor !  There  is  no  wind  this  morning,  and  we  are 
tracking.  With  a  good  breeze  we  could  reach  Siout  to- 
morrow, but  with  a  calm  or  head-wind  it  will  take  us  a 
week.  At  eleven  a.m.  we  passed  the  dahabeeh  Lin- 
coln, under  the  American  flag.  The  Arabic  chain  of 
mountains  is- commencing  to  be  very  picturesque,  and 
looks  beautifully  by  moonlight. 

Thursday,  January  9. 
Morning  somewhat  cloudy ;  light  wind,  and  men  out 
tracking.  Thus  we  continued  until  half-past  three, 
when  a  breeze  from  the  north  sprang  up,  and  we  un- 
furled our  sail ;  but  alas  !  the  wind  soon  failed  again. 
At  eight  p.m.  we  were  under  and  abreast  the  rugged 
cliffs  of  Aboofayda ;  the  moon  shone  brightly  ;  we 
shouted,  and  called  names,  and  the  cliff  called  back  ;  a 
bark  came  down  the  river  ;  her  men,  about  six  in  num- 
ber, talking  all  together,  and  the  echoes  answering  as 
if  there  were  a  thousand.  As  Aline  was  still  sick,  we 
asked  her  to  look  out  of  the  window,  while  Tom  fired 
his  gun  ;  the  rattling  echoes  were  grand,  just  like  a 
volley  of  artillery.  We  continued  tracking  until  we 
arrived  at  the  next  village,  and  tied  up  at  nine  p.m. 

Friday,  January  10. 
We   tracked  during  the  whole  morning,  but   at   a 


78  THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

quarter  past  two  p.m.  a  northerly  wind  sprang  up  and 
we  soon  passed  the  village  of  Manfalout.  Aline  felt 
somewhat  better  during  the  afternoon,  and  remained  on 
deck  reclining  on  a  sofa.  One  of  the  crew,  in  coming 
from  the  tombs  opposite  Manfalout,  found  a  piece  of 
petrified  bone,  which  he  gave  to  me.  We  continued 
sailing  with  a  fresh  breeze  until  nine  p.m.,  when  the 
wind  died  out  and  we  anchored  four  miles  from 
Siout. 

Saturday,  January  11. 
"We  tracked  during  the  morning  until  nine,  when 
a  breeze  sprang  up,  and  we  arrived  at  Siout  at  eleven, 
where  it  was  necessary  to  stop  twenty-four  hours  to  bake 
bread  for  the  crew.  Aline  is  still  quite  unwell  and  in- 
capable of  going  out,  so  I  passed  the  morning  writing 
home.  At  noon  Tom,  Mr.  Rogers,  and  I  took  donkeys 
and  went  into  the  city  to  make  several  purchases.  The 
country  around  Siout  is  beautiful,  but  we  did  not  spend 
much  time  looking  at  it,  as  we  feared  Aline  would  get 
lonely  during  our  absence.  We  went  first  to  the  hos- 
pital for  some  medicines  which  we  had  neglected  to 
obtain  before  leaving  Cairo,  and  thence  to  the  American 
consulate  to  deliver  our  letters.  The  consul  was  not  at 
home ;  but  going  through  the  bazars  we  met  his  son,  a 
very  handsome  Egyptian,  who  spoke  French.  lie  was 
very  polite,  took  charge  of  our  letters,  and  expressed 
his  regret  that  he  was  not  at  home  when  we  called  on 
his  father.  The  bazars  are  in  long  narrow  streets, 
covered  at  the  level  of  the  house-tops  with  matting,  to 
resist  the  heat  of  the  sun.    The  Egyptians  here,  as  else- 


THE   NILOMETEK,   AND   THE   SACKED    SODL.  79 

"where,  are  not  particularly  clean;  in  fact,  the  beggars 
were  so  dirty  and  surrounded  me  in  such  numbers  that 
I  was  compelled  to  use  my  riding-whip  to  get  rid  of 
them.  We  passed  the  afternoon  in  company  with  Aline, 
and  the  evening  on  deck,  admiring  the  moonlight. 

Sunday,  January  12. 
After  breakfast  I  read  some  chapters  in  the  Bible. 
Tom  then  went  to  take  a  photographic  view  of  Siout, 
while  Mr.  Rogers  and  I  took  a  walk  in  the  Pacha's 
garden.  Having  found  a  pretty  spot,  a  summer-house 
surrounded  by  tropical  plants,  I  sketched  it.  When  we 
returned  home  Tom  showed  us  his  view  of  Siout,  which 
proved  to  be  a  good  one,  and  then  went  with  me  to  the 
garden,  to  ascertain  if  my  drawing  was  correct,  and 
showed  me  how  to  get  proper  proportions.  At  one  p.m. 
we  left  Siout  with  a  good  breeze.  The  Crocodile  ar- 
rived just  as  we  started,  and  we  heard  that  the  Estella 
and  an  American  boat  left  on  Friday. 

Monday,  January  13. 
Light  breeze,  and  got  under  way  at  two  a.m.,  passing 
Aboutieg  at  six,  and  Tartah  at  four  in  the  afternoon. 
Observed  several  persons  in  European  costume  at  the 
latter  port,  who,  our  dragoman  informed  us,  are  Greek 
and  Italian  merchants,  come  to  purchase  the  wheat  in 
advance  of  its  growth.  This  section  of  the  country 
produces  large  crops,  and  the  banks  where  now  only  a 
dozen  boats  are  moored,  six  weeks  hence  will  be  lined 
with  a  thousand  busy  craft,  each  loading  for  a  northern 
market.     At  half-past  four  passed  Gebel-Sheick-Heree- 


80  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

dee,  and  continued  sailing  until  three  in   the   morn- 
ing. 

Tuesday,  January  14. 
At  three  a.m.  the  wind  died  out,  and  we  anchored 
three  miles  below  Menchieh.  A  small  fishing-boat 
passed  this  morning  while  we  were  at  anchor,  and 
reported  three  dahabeehs  twelve  miles  astern.  One 
must  be  the  Crocodile,  and  the  other  two,  having  had 
fair  and  strong  wind,  could  not  have  stopped  at  Siout  to 
bake,  but  will  probably  push  on  to  Girgeh.  Heard 
also  that  the  Bund,  with  Lord  and  Lady  Conyng- 
ham,  the  No  Name,  with  Rev.  Mr.  Wight  and  party, 
were  at  Siout,  while  four  days  ago  the  Messenger 
Bird  was  at  Minieh.  Under  way  again  at  seven ;  the 
wind  light,  but  favorable.  Passed  Menchieh  at  ten  a.m. 
An  unburnt  brick  town  ;  the  upper  stories  of  the  houses 
white-washed  and  used  for  pigeons,  while  the  dwellings 
are  below.  Passed  Girgeh  at  half-past  three  this  after- 
noon. This  was  formerly  a  large  city,  but  the  river 
has  gradually  washed  the  greater  part  of  it  away. 
Several  minarets  without  mosques,  and  about  a  hun- 
dred houses,  are  all  that  remain.  As  the  wind  con- 
tinues favorable,  we  will  not  visit  the  ruins  of  Abydos 
until  our  return,  nor  stop  at  night.  While  passing  some 
of  the  high  eastern  hills,  where  the  river  approaches 
close  to  their  base,  the  uncertain  wind,  as  it  came  in 
fitful  gusts,  gave  our  men  much  trouble  ;  and  the  yawl 
annoyed  us  exceedingly  through  the  night,  by  occasion- 
ally coming  with  a  thump  against  the  stern,  and  wak- 
ing us  all  up.     It  is  a  very  dangerous  pass.     We  got 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  81 

aground  several  times,  requiring  the  united  efforts  of 
the  crew  to  get  afloat  again. 

Wednesday,  January  15. 
Continued  sailing  with  a  favorable  wind  until  five 
p.m.,  when  we  tied  up  at  Dendera,  for  the  purpose  of 
letting  our  dragoman  cross  the  river  to  Kenah,  to  pur- 
chase chimneys  for  our  lamps,  the  only  two  we  had 
being  broken.  Before  dark  we  saw  upon  the  opposite 
shore  two  dahabeehs  ;  one  under  the  French  flag,  bound 
down,  the  other  with  no  flag  up.  The  reis  informed  us 
that  an  English  gentleman,  with  his  wife  and  maid, 
were  on  board,  who  left  Cairo  several  days  previous  to 
our  departure.  We  met  such  a  family  at  Alexandria, 
and  have  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  the  same. 

Thursday,  January  1G. 
We  got  under  way  at  three  a.  m.,  and  made  good  dis- 
tance before  daylight,  but  the  wind  died  out  at  seven. 
Going  on  deck  before  breakfast  with  Tom,  we  found 
there  were  two  dahabeehs  behind  us  that  we  had  over- 
taken and  passed  during  the  night ;  there  is  still  another 
a  short  distance  ahead ;  all  under  the  English  flag. 
The  weather  is  delightful ;  and  as  our  men  were  out 
tracking  after  breakfast,  the  country  looked  so  rich  and 
inviting  that  we  went  on  shore ;  Tom,  as  usual,  with 
his  gun,  and  Mr.  Rogers  for  the  first  time  carried  his. 
Aline  is  not  very  strong  yet,  and  was  compelled  to  take 
Mohammed's  arm,  keeping  near  the  shore,  to  be  able 
to  go  on  board  when  tired.  I  followed  the  gentlemen, 
carrying  my  album,  hoping  to  find  an  opportunity  of 


82  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

taking  a  sketch.  "We  had  not  been  on  shore  ten  min- 
utes when  we  came  upon  a  flock  of  wild  pigeons,  whicli 
afforded  an  occasion  for  Mr.  Rogers  to  try  his  luck,  and 
he  killed  two  with  a  single  shot.  Soon  they  became  so 
plentiful  that  Tom  killed  five  at  one  shot ;  we  brought 
eighteen  back  with  us,  and  if  Tom  had  had  more  car- 
tridges he  could  have  killed  double  that  number.  We 
passed  a  great  many  places  where  the  men,  naked  ex- 
cept a  rag  tied  about  their  loins,  were  busily  engaged 
drawing  water  with  buckets  and  poles  from  the  river, 
to  irrigate  the  land.  This  primitive  arrangement  is 
called  the  "  shadoof."  Thus  it  was  in  the  days  of 
Abraham  and  the  Pharaohs ;  thus  it  is  to-day ;  thus 
will  it  be  for  another  thousand  years,  unless  a  more 
civilized  race  shall  overrun  this  fair  land,  spoil  the 
Egyptian,  and  teach  a  new  order  of  things.  Begin- 
ning to  feel  tired,  and  finding  the  sun  very  hot,  we 
passed  through  a  village  on  our  way  back  to  the  boat, 
and  as  usual  I  was  a  curiosity  here,  and  we  were  fol- 
lowed by  a  crowd  of  men,  women,  and  children,  some  of 
the  latter  entirely  naked,  asking  us  for  backsheesh.  We 
sought  a  shady  resting-place,  for  our  boat  was  far  be- 
hind, and  waited  for  it  to  come  up.  What  a  beautiful 
sycamore  !  Some  natives  were  seated  beneath  its  shade, 
and  near  it  was  a  shadoof.  Tom  observed  that  it  would 
make  a  pretty  picture,  but  I  felt  that  I  was  too  much  of 
a  novice  to  undertake  it ;  so  we  kept  on  walking,  still 
followed  by  our  primitive  escort.  I  remarked  some  dis- 
tance ahead  a  scheik's  tomb,  with  palm-trees  before  it 
and  a  sycamore  near.  Thinking  it  would  look  pretty 
in  my  album,  we  directed  our  course  towards  it ;  and 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  83 

while  Mr.  Rogers  and  Tom  seated  themselves  under  the 
shade  of  the  trees,  I  took  my  position  on  a  heap  of  doura 
stalks,  to  commence  my  drawing,  helped  by  Tom's  obser- 
vations, and  at  times  much  annoyed  by  the  natives  who 
surrounded  us.  Having  returned  to  the  river-bank,  we 
had  to  wait  some  hours  for  our  boat,  and  the  Adelina, 
an  English  dahabeeh,  passed  before  us  while  seated  on 
the  shore.  We  addressed  a  gentleman  whom  we  saw 
near,  but  he  was  an  Italian,  and  did  not  speak  a  word 
of  French  ;  his  dahabeeh,  which  he  pointed  out  to  us, 
was  near  ours  ;  she  had  no  name,  but  there  must  have 
been  some  English  on  board,  as  the  flag  was  of  that 
nation.  It  was  four  o'clock  before  we  were  again  on 
board,  very  much  fatigued,  having  walked  some  seven 
miles.  Our  trophy  was  a  white  ibis,  which,  after  Mrs. 
Ferris  had  admired,  had  the  river  for  its  grave.  We 
tied  up  at  El-Arabat,  seven  miles  from  Thebes,  sur- 
rounded by  five  dahabeehs. 

Friday,  January  17. 
Commenced  tracking  before  breakfast.  We  heard 
that  the  boat  which  was  on  the  opposite  shore  last  even- 
ing, and  which  has  crossed  to  this  side  this  morning,  is 
called  the  Zingara,  and  contains  an  English  party.  While 
the  two  boats  were  abreast,  Mr.  Rogers  held  a  conversa- 
tion with  the  gentlemen,  who  informed  him  that  they 
left  Cairo  on  the  12th  of  December,  and  have  been 
stopping  on  their  way  up.  The  Gazelle,  and  the  Union, 
both  under  the  English  flag,  passed  on  their  way  down 
this  morning.  The  Gazelle  has  on  board  the  Duke 
and  Duchess  of  St.  Albans,  who  have  been  to  the  first 


84:  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

cataract.  We  observed  this  boat  particularly,  as  it  is 
the  one  spoken  of  so  highly  by  Mr.  Warren ;  she  is  a 
fine  vessel,  wider  than  ours,  but  not  so  long.  Having 
head-wind,  and  the  weather  being  cold,  Aline  and  I  re- 
mained in  the  cabin  sewing,  while  Tom  basked  in  the 
sunshine  on  deck  ;  the  men  were  out  tracking,  when 
suddenly  we  heard  them  shouting  "  Hup,  hup,  hup  ! " 
Tom  rushed  into  the  saloon,  seized  his  gun,  saying,  "It 
is  a  crocodile ! "  We  felt  a  little  alarmed,  and  expected 
to  see  a  monster  twenty  or  thirty  feet  long ;  however, 
our  fears  soon  subsided  when  we  saw  a  small  reptile, 
measuring  only  as  many  inches.  Tom  killed  it  with  a 
single  shot,  and  one  of  the  men  brought  it  on  board.  A 
closer  examination  showed  it  to  be  only  a  species  of  liz- 
ard, and  it  was  thrown  into  the  river.  A  light  breeze 
having  sprung  up,  we  anticipated  an  early  arrival  at 
Thebes.  We  soon  came  in  view  of  that  place,  and  when 
nearly  there  fired  a  salute  of  thirteen  guns.  Several 
dahabeehs  were  anchored,  and  among  them  we  recog- 
nized with  pleasure  our  old  friend  the  Estella.  The 
British  and  American  flags  were  flying  from  the  top  of 
the  ruins  of  an  ancient  temple ;  and  we  learned  that 
this  was  the  British  and  American  Consulate.  We  tied 
up  on  the  opposite  shore  of  a  small  cove,  so  that  our 
boat  presented  a  broadside  to  Thebes,  while  all  the 
others  were  moored  near  the  town,  excepting  the 
America,  which  was  directly  ahead  of  us.  She  looked 
very  well  with  her  five  little  flags  flying,  bearing  the 
initials  of  the  party  ;  but  nothing  in  comparison  to  our 
craft,  decorated  with  the  pennant  seventy-two  feet  long, 
the  American,  the  Oriental,  and  the  huge  "  New  York  " 


THE  NILOHETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  85 

flags,  besides  three  large  Turkish  ones  of  El-Adli.  What 
do  you  say  of  the  Americans,  Messrs.  Englishmen  ?  Do 
you  not  think  these  two  boats  well  represent  their  nation  ? 
After  pitching  our  tent  on  shore,  and  as  we  were  on  the 
point  of  starting  out,  we  received  a  call  from  General 
Darling  of  the  America,  a  very  pleasant  gentleman,  and 
who  told  us  they  had  also  arrived  in  the  afternoon,  and 
seeing  our  white  flag  with  New  York  written  on  it 
(Tom's  idea),  and  being  of  that  city  himself,  he  was  de- 
lighted to  meet  some  of  his  countrymen.  After  a  plea- 
sant conversation  and  social  drink  with  the  gentlemen, 
at  leaving  he  invited  us  to  pay  a  visit  to  their  boat,  and 
become  acquainted  with  the  ladies.  So  Aline  and  I  re- 
mained home  to  dress,  while  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  went 
to  pay  a  visit  to  the  TJ.  S.  Consul,  Mustapha  Aga,  from 
whom  they  received  letters.  There  they  met  the  Gover- 
nor of  Thebes,  who,  with  the  Consul,  was  invited  to 
visit  us.  While  taking  dinner  El-Adli  had  all  the  lan- 
terns prepared ;  we  kept  dark  until  we  knew  whether 
any  of  the  other  boats  were  going  to  illuminate.  One 
English  boat  did,  but  with  only  a  few  lanterns,  all  of 
them  white.  Having  lighted  our  one  hundred  and  ten — 
red,  white,  and  blue,  one  third  of  each  color — Tom  and 
Mr.  Rogers  went  to  help  the  men,  and  suddenly  a  string 
was  run  up  to  the  peak  of  the  main-yard,  another  string- 
to  the  after  yard,  and  a  third  string  on  halliards  arranged 
half-way  up  the  main-yard  ;  a  row  commencing  on  the 
extreme  bow,  and  running  to  the  end  of  the  jigger- 
boom  ;  another  row  six  feet  above  that,  and  also  running 
the  entire  length  of  the  vessel ;  a  third  row  around  the 
railing  of  the  quarter-deck,  and  a  fourth  row  above  that, 


86  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

Lung  to  the  rope  that  secures  the  awning ;  three  lan- 
terns still  higher  on  the  three  flag-staffs  for  the  Turkish 
flags,  and  others  at  prominent  points.  After  all  had  been 
arranged  and  lighted,  we  put  on  our  shawls  and  were 
going  to  take  a  row  in  our  little  boat,  to  observe  the 
effect  and  to  pay  our  promised  visit  to  the  ladies  of 
the  America,  when  El-Adli  came  into  the  saloon  to  an- 
nounce a  visit  from  the  Consul,  the  Governor,  and  also 
Mr.  Laming,  of  the  Estella.  Mr.  Rogers  therefore  wrote 
an  invitation  to  the  party  on  the  America  to  join  us, 
and  to  meet  our  distinguished  visitors.  The  three  gen- 
tlemen— General  Darling,  Major  Roessle,  and  Major 
Moller — came,  expressing  their  regrets  that  the  ladies 
were  unable  to  do  so.  Chibouks  were  presented  to  the 
guests,  together  with  cigars,  coffee,  champagne,  cakes, 
and  confectionery.  Aline  and  I  could  not  look  enough 
at  the  Governor*;  he  is  about  twenty-five,  and  has  the 
most  beautiful  face  one  can  imagine.  His  complexion 
is  of  course  dark,  but  his  eyes !  One  miglit  well  be 
envious  of  such  eyes !  So  large,  so  bright,  so  languid, 
and  with  eyelashes  so  long  and  thick  and  black.  His 
nose  is  rather  too  thick,  but  his  mouth,  with  its  black, 
silky  moustaches,  is  very  expressive.  His  dark  brown 
hair  is  worn  long,  and  curled.  He  is  of  a  good  size,  has 
a  very  distingue  air,  and  wore  his  costume  (a  white 
cashmere  shirt,  a  striped  silk  vest,  with  a  cashmere 
scarf  and  wide  brown  drawers  of  embroidered  cloth) 
with  unequalled  grace.  His  coiffure  was  very  pictu- 
resque ;  a  yellow  silk  foulard  falling  in  folds  around  his 

*  We  afterwards  ascertained  that  this  was  not  the  Governor,  but 
a  government  official. 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  87 

Lead,  with  a  small  turban  of  gold  and  black  wound 
around  it ;  several  chains  hung  to  his  waist,  while  his 
little  finger  was  adorned  with  an  emerald  surrounded  by 
diamonds.  He  only  spoke  the  Egyptian  language,  but 
we  had  no  difficulty  in  entertaining  him,  having 
El-Adli  as  an  interpreter,  as  well  as  Mustapha  Aga, 
who  speaks  English  fluently.  The  three  gentlemen  of 
the  America  gave  us  some  details  of  their  passage 
of  the  cataract,  while  Mr.  Laming  complimented  us  on 
our  illumination.  After  the  Consul  and  General  Dar- 
ling and  his  party  had  left,  Mr.  Rogers  remained  to 
entertain  Mr.  Laming,  while  we,  with  the  Governor, 
went  to  take  a  view  of  our  craft.  All  the  evening  little 
boats  with  parties  from  other  dahabeehs  were  rowing 
about  looking  at  it,  and  the  Governor  complimented 
us  by  saying  it  was  the  flag-ship  of  the  squadron.  He 
remained  quite  late  with  us,  and  invited  us  ladies, 
upon  our  return,  to  pay  a  visit  to  his  wife.  We  were 
much  pleased  with  the  idea,  and  promised  ourselves 
much  pleasure  in  accepting  it.  Soon  a  good  breeze 
sprang  up,  and  Mr.  Laming  was  requested  to  return 
to  his  boat,  as  they  were  preparing  to  leave.  When 
will  we  meet  the  Estella  again  ? 

Saturday,  January  18. 
After  breakfast  the  boat  was  made  ready,  and  we 
called  on  the  America,  but  found  nobody  home.  They 
had  left  early  in  the  morning  for  Karnak.  Their  boat, 
which  was  named  the  Victoria  last  year,  is  a  fine  one, 
and,  as  we  learned,  the  handsomest  of  all  on  the  Nile ; 
much   more   elegantly  furnished  than  ours.      General 


88  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

Darling  having  arrived  at  Cairo  the  14th  of  November, 
had  his  choice,  and  very  naturally  selected  the  best. 
Having  left  our  cards,  we  called  on  the  Consul,  "who 
received  us  with  much  courtesy,  and  treated  us  to  syrup 
and  the  gentlemen  with  chibouks.  The  temple  in  front 
and  above  his  house  is  remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  its 
pillars,  which  still  give  you  a  good  idea  of  the  strength 
and  solidity  of  ancient  monuments  ;  but  a  great  part  of 
it  is  buried  by  the  sand.  Mustapha  presented  us  with 
several  handsome  specimens  of  antiquities  ;  and  having 
received  his  promise  to  give  us  a  letter  to  the  Governor 
at  Assouan,  we  bade  him  adieu,  returned  on  board,  and 
as  the  wind  was  fair,  immediately  got  under  way.  In 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  a  horseman,  mounted  on  a  fine 
Arabian  steed,  and  dressed  in  flowing  robes,  was  seen 
swiftly  approaching.  It  was  the  bearer  of  the  promised 
letter ;  he  delivered  his  charge,  and  away,  as  in  a  fairy 
tale,  flies  steed  and  rider.  The  wind  died  out,  and  we 
remained  at  anchor  until  the  morning:. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ARRIVAL   AT   ESNEH — ITS   TEMPLE  THREE  THOUSAND  TEARS 

OLD CITY     OF     ASSOUAN — ISLAND     OF     ELEPHANTINE 

STATUE   OF   AN   EGYPTIAN   KING — PASSAGE   OF  THE  FIRST 

CATARACT THREE     HUNDRED    NUBIANS     EMPLOYED     TO 

PULL    OUR    BOAT    THROUGH    THE    RAPIDS — ARRIVAL    AT 
PHIL.E. 

Sunday,  January  19,  1868. 
|0  wind  until  nine  a.m.  Mr.  Rogers,  as  usual, 
for  the  good  of  us  all,  read  parts  of  the  Bible. 
We  passed  Erment  at  eleven  o'clock,  the  ap- 
pearance of  which  from  the  shore  is  very 
pretty,  and  here  are  large  establishments  for  the  manu- 
facture of  sugar.  Aline,  Tom,  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  on 
shore  for  a  walk,  but  I  remained  on  board,  and  passed 
the  afternoon  on  deck,  enjoying  the  quietness  of  the  de- 
clining- hours.  Gebelem,  two  mountains  forming;  an 
isolated  group,  with  the  tomb  of  an  Arabian  scheik, 
make  a  pretty  picture,  and  we  greatly  admired  it.  At 
five  we  ran  aground,  and  took  our  dinner,  enlivened  by 
the  song  of  our  men's  singular  chorus,  as  they  endea- 
vored to  get  the  boat  afloat,  and  it  was  nearly  eleven 
when  we  arrived  at  Esneh. 

Monday,  January  20. 
We  were  up  at  half-past  six  this  morning,  and  as  soon 
as  breakfast  was  over,  went  to  visit  the  Temple,  the 


90  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SODL. 

great  ancient  monument  of  this  place.  The  entrance  is 
by  a  small  alley-way,  and  only  one-third  of  the  columns 
are  above  the  street.  Before  1842  it  was  almost 
entirely  hidden  beneath  a  mass  of  rubbish ;  but  Mo- 
hammed Ali,  passing  through  the  city,  gave  orders  to 
have  it  cleared.  Tou  descend  by  a  rude  staircase  of 
about  forty  stone  steps  to  the  interior.  For  a  moment 
every  one  of  us  was  silent ;  all  were  impressed  with  the 
same  feeling  of  wonder  and  admiration !  We  were  in 
the  midst  of  the  twenty-four  columns,  which  were  only 
the  portico  of  the  ancient  building.  Each  chapiter  is 
worked  differently ;  the  columns,  measuring  six  feet  in 
diameter,  as  well  as  the  walls,  are  entirely  covered  with 
hieroglyphics.  Before  it  was  open  to  the  admiration  of 
the  world,  probably  some  Arabs  had  made  their  dwelling 
in  it,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  ceiling  and  the  chapiters 
are  blackened  by  smoke ;  still  the  hieroglyphics  are  as 
well  preserved  as  if  made  recently.  How  beautiful 
must  have  been  the  temple  whose  portico  gives  so  grand 
an  idea  of  it!  What  a  wonderful  people  these  Egyptians 
must  have  been !  What  means  had  they,  and  how 
could  they,  not  only  transport,  but  also  elevate  these 
heavy  stones  to  their  respective  places,  are  questions 
which  naturally  come  to  the  mind  of  the  curious. 
Three  thousand  years  have  passed  away;  their  de- 
scendants, oppressed  and  ruled  as  slaves,  bring  to  your 
heart  a  feeling  of  pity ;  but  these  monuments  of  their 
ancestors,  though  mutilated,  are  still  there,  an  appeal- 
ing voice  from  the  spirit  world  telling  you :  "  If  not 
crushed  and  oppressed  by  the  rude  hand  of  war,  what 
might  we  not  he  !  "     We  were  accompanied  in  our  visit 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  91 

by  a  German  from  Elberfeld,  Prussia.  He  is  a  mission- 
ary, speaks  a  little  English,  and  was  delighted  to  find 
some  persons  who  could  converse  in  his  native  tongue. 
While  we  were  admiring  the  Temple,  a  party  of  gentle- 
men arrived,  who  entered  into  conversation,  and  in- 
formed us  that  they  had  passed  us  yesterday  during 
our  dinner,  in  a  steamer  furnished  them  by  the  Vice- 
roy. They  were  accompanied  by  a  dragoman  of  his 
Highness'  household,  and  who  was  with  the  Prince  of 
Wales  on  the  Nile  six  years  ago.  Tom  exchanged  cards 
with  two  of  the  gentlemen,  Messrs.  Cailles  and  Perrier, 
who  are  French,  and  invited  them  to  come  on  board  our 
dahabeeh;  they  declined,  however,  as  their  steamer 
was  ready  to  start,  but  expressed  the  desire  of  meeting 
us  in  Paris.  We  afterwards  took  a  long  walk  through 
the  city,  which  shows,  by  the  mounds  of  rubbish  with 
which  it  is  filled,  sites  of  ancient  buildings.  We 
admired  a  handsome  minaret  in  passing,  which  I  would 
have  liked  to  sketch,  but  was  afraid  of  the  dirty  crowd 
which  would  have  collected  around  us.  We  visited  also 
the  Pacha's  garden,  but  the  sun  becoming  very  hot, 
soon  returned  to  our  dahabeeh.  We  had  not  been  back 
half  an  hour  when  the  whistle  of  a  steamer  was  heard ; 
she  was  coming  down  the  river,  and  stopped  near  us. 
It  proved  to  be  the  same  vessel  that  had  passed  us  with 
American  passengers  on  the  4th  of  January,  near 
Benesoef,  and  presently  two  of  the  gentlemen  called  on 
us.  They  announced  themselves  as  Mr.  Fisk  and  Mr. 
White,  from  Syracuse,  ~N.  Y.  After  remaining  an  hour 
with  us,  and  partaking  of  champagne  and  cake,  they 
returned  to  their  steamer,  which  had  only  stopped  a 


92  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL. 

short  time  to  take  in  coals.  While  we  ladies  retired  to 
rest,  Tom  took  his  materials  and  started  off  on  a 
sketching  expedition,  and  at  four  o'clock,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Rogers,  I  went  to  see  his  drawing.  It  is  of  an 
old  Roman  wall  which  protected  ancient  Latopolis  from 
the  encroachment  of  the  river,  while  the  trees  above, 
and  a  portion  of  our  boat  protruding  from  behind  a 
clump  of  rocks  in  the  distance,  make  a  pretty  picture. 
At  five  the  German  missionary  came  to  dine  with  us,  by 
invitation.  Having  lived  here  three  years,  and  speaking 
the  Egyptian  language,  he  is  well  acquainted  with  the 
life  and  customs  of  the  present  inhabitants,  and  gave  us 
some  valuable  information.  He  is  a  kind  and  good- 
hearted  fellow,  trying  his  best  to  bring  some  of  these 
poor  souls  to  Christ,  but  has  had  much  trouble  to 
succeed.  He  left  us  early  to  join  some  Copt  women, 
who  come  every  evening  to  his  house  to  hear  from  his 
mouth  the  word  of  God. 

Tuesday,  January  21. 

This  morning,  on  rising,  we  found  that  we  were 
under  way  with  a  good  wind.  It  is  now  eleven  o'clock 
a.m.,  and  we  are  all  on  deck,  the  boat  gliding  noise- 
lessly on  the  water,  with  a  clear  sky  as  usual.  But 
shut  your  eyes  and  listen, — hear  the  cocks  crowing,  the 
hens  cackling,  the  doves  cooing, — surely  you  can  imagine 
yourself  in  a  barn-yard ;  but  no,  it  all  proceeds  from  our 
extemporized  yard  at  the  stern  of  the  boat,  where  our 
live-stock  is  placed,  ready  at  short  notice  to  contribute 
to  the  luxury  of  our  table.  We  continued  sailing  all 
day  and  evening  until  eight  p.m.,  when  we  ran  upon 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  93 

a  sand-bank,  just  above  Edfou,  and  notwithstanding  the 
efforts  of  the  crew,  were  nnable  to  get  off  until  morning. 

Wednesday,  January  22. 

At  seven  a.m.  regained  the  channel,  and  continued 
our  voyage  with  a  good  northerly  wind. 

At  half-past  eleven  a.m.  we  passed  one  English  and 
three  American  boats.  The  English  vessel  is  called  the 
Undine  •  Mr.  Lawrence  and  family,  of  Boston,  occupy 
two  boats ;  and  Messrs.  Morse  and  Dwight,  of  Jersey 
City,  with  two  Swedes,  the  third,  named  the  Zelica. 
As  we  approached  we  fired  a  salute  of  six  guns,  which 
compliment  was  duly  acknowledged  and  returned,  flags 
mutually  dipped,  etc.  Continued  sailing,  and  in  ano- 
ther half-hour  the  four  boats  are  out  of  sight,  the  ex- 
citement is  over,  our  ordinary  life  is  resumed — reading, 
sewing,  writing — the  delightfully  balmy  breeze  fanning 
us,  our  craft  gliding  swiftly,  silently,  steadily,  through 
the  waters,  green  banks  on  either  side,  sown  with  lu- 
pins to  the  water's  edge,  the  gray  hills  in  the  distance  ; 
thus  do  we  continue  as  we  are  gradually  nearing  Gebel- 
Silsileh.  Pass  Gebel-Silsileh  at  three  p.m.  Here  the 
hills  approach  close  to  the  river,  leaving  no  cultivatable 
ground.  On  the  west  the  rocks  are  full  of  tombs,  grot- 
tos, and  quarries,  while  on  the  eastern  side  are  quarries, 
wherein  are  evidences  of  huge  stones  having  been  taken. 
We  shall  not  stop  however  until  our  return,  when  we 
will  examine  the  entire  vicinage.  It  is  at  once  evident 
that  the  Nile  has  broken  away  the  rocks  at  this  point  at 
some  remote  period,  thereby  probably  changing  the  en- 
tire character  of  the  lands  above.     At  half-past  four  we 


94:  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

passed  the  American  dahabeeh  Manhattan,  having  on 
board  Messrs.  Phoenix  and  Pomeroy  of  New  York.  The 
gentlemen  were  on  shore,  and  saluted  us  as  we  raised 
our  flag  JSfew  JTork,  while  their  dragoman  came  on 
board  to  ask  for  letters.  Continued  sailing  until  eight, 
when  we  ran  aground,  and  remained  hard  and  fast  until 
morning,  about  ten  miles  below  Assouan. 

Thursday,  January  23. 
No  wind.  Our  boat  had  gradually  cut  her  way 
through,  the  sand,  and  we  are  again  afloat,  but  waiting 
for  some  of  the  men  who  are  out  in  the  yawl,  Ashing  for 
an  anchor  they  had  lost  during  the  night  in  the  effort 
to  get  her  off.  At  eleven  the  wind  sprang  up,  we 
spread  our  sails,  and  hope,  if  it  continues,  we  will  arrive 
in  Assouan  in  two  hours.  At  twelve  we  passed  the 
steamer  given  by  the  Pacha  to  Messrs.  Cailles  and  Per- 
rier,  going  down  the  river,  on  their  return  from  the  first 
cataract.  Salutes  were  exchanged,  flags  dipped,  and  the 
gentlemen  doffed  their  hats  as  they  glided  rapidly  past. 
At  two  we  noticed  some  children  running  along  the 
shore,  and  whose  numbers  gradually  accumulated. 
They  were  some  distance  off,  but  evidently  antici- 
pated the  arrival  of  our  dahabeeh.  Soon  they  were 
joined  by  numbers  of  men  and  women,  and  upon  in- 
quiry we  found  that  some  of  our  sailors  lived  here,  and 
that  we  were  to  stop,  as  they  will  have  leave  of  absence 
for  a  day,  and  join  us  at  Assouan.  A  touching  meeting 
took  place,  friends  meeting  friends,  kissing,  greeting, 
and  saluting  them.  We  delivered  into  the  arms  of  his 
mother,  who  seemed  overcome  with  joy,  a  little  boy 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  95 

whose  father  remained  in  Suez,  and  gave  him  in  keep- 
ing to  one  of  our  men  to  take  home.  Now  we  are  en 
route  again,  and  will  be  in  Assouan  in  an  hour.  At 
three  we  arrived  in  view  of  that  place,  and  fired  a  salute 
of  twelve  guns.  The  Nile  here  is  very  narrow,  the., 
two  mountains — the  Lybian  and  the  Arabic — show  to 
advantage.  The  modern  city  is  on  the  eastern  side,  in 
a  hollow,  and  covered  with  groves  of  date-trees  and  gar- 
dens, while  the  houses  are  all  built  of  crude  brick.  The 
harbor  where  we  stopped  was  spacious^  and  on  one  side 
protected  and  nearly  closed  by  rocks ;  while  opposite  is 
the  Island  of  Elephantine,  appearing  very  green,  and 
whose  shores  are  covered  with  palm  and  dom  trees, 
which  greatly  add  to  the  beauty  of  the  landscape.  After 
we  had  anchored,  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  to  take  a 
walk,  while  Aline  and  myself  remained  on  deck,  watch- 
ing an  Abyssinian  merchant  surrounded  by  slaves,  who 
were  all  busy  sorting  his  merchandise.  A  number  of 
children  and  men  came  to  offer  us  the  curiosities  of  the 
country, — silver  bracelets,  fox-skins,  baskets,  ostrich 
feathers,  and  Nubian  dresses  (a  single  fringe  which  they 
wear  around  and  below  the  waist).  The  expense  attend- 
ing the  dressing  of  a  Nubian  belle  is  not  great,  as  one  of 
these  garments  costs  about  fifteen  piasters  (seventy-five 
cents),  and  will  probably  last  a  year  or  two  : — a  pleas- 
ant contrast  with  an  American  or  French  beauty.  A 
poor  blind  man,  with  a  withered  arm,  sat  down  on  the 
sand  and  sang ;  his  appearance  was  so  sickening  that  we 
sent  him  away  with  a  backsheesh,  yet  he  did  not  deserve 
it,  for  Mahommed  told  us  that,  miserable  as  he  appears, 
he  has  two  wives.     How  can  he  support  them  ?    As  we 


96  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

were  making  our  observations  on  the  strange  customs  of 
this  strangest  of  all  countries,  we  saw  the  Englishman 
and  his  wife  coming  towards  us  whom  we  had  met  at 
Alexandria,  and  who  arrived  here  a  few  days  ago  ;  they 
took  a  look  at  our  boat  and  returned.  Not  very  social, 
these  English  !  The  gentlemen  arrived  as  we  com- 
menced our  dinner,  and  brought  us  several  ostrich 
feathers,  of  which  only  a  few  are  very  good. 

Friday,  January  24. 
We  hurried  through  dressing  to  go  to  the  island  of 
Elephantine.  The  wind  not  being  good,  and  the 
Estella  moored  ten  miles  ahead,  waiting  for  a  fair  wind 
to  pass  the  cataract,  we  will  be  obliged  to  remain  here 
all  day.  We  took  our  drawing  materials  with  us,  and 
also  the  photographic  instrument.  The  weather  being 
delightful,  while  our  men  were  rowing  and  singing,  I 
enjoyed  the  scenery.  The  ruins  here  and  there  on  the 
hills,  the  green  island  we  were  approaching,  the  habi- 
tations shaded  by  palm-trees,  the  curious  formation  of 
rocks,  rendered  the  tout  ensemble  picturesque  and  full 
of  interest.  As  soon  as  we  landed  we  were  surrounded 
by  men,  women,  and  children  asking  for  backsheesh. 
Two  of  the  little  girls  were  dressed  in  the  Nubian  fash- 
ion, bead  necklace,  bracelets,  ear-rings,  hair  plaited  in  a 
hundred  little  braids,  and  that  fringe  around  their 
waists  made  them  look  strange  and  singular.  Tom 
took  a  photographic  view  of  a  sakyeh  built  on  an  ancient 
Wall,  and  afterwards  we  visited  other  parts  of  the  island. 
Desolation  all  around  you  !  The  ancient  city  has  disap- 
peared ;  the  rubbish  forming  a  large  hillock  of  seven  to 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  97 

eight  hundred  yards  in  circumference,  and  the  soil 
heaped  with  fragments  of  pottery;  here  and  there 
are  a  few  columnar  remains  of  two  ancient  temples, 
which  have  tumbled  down,  and  heavy  stones  covered 
with  hieroglyphics  very  well  preserved.  In  a  hollow, 
going  towards  the  shore  where  our  boat  was  lying,  we 
saw  a  statue  of  an  Egyptian  king,  probably  on  the  site  of 
an  ancient  temple,  represented  seated,  with  his  hands 
crossed  upon  the  breast.  There  he  sits,  all  alone,  look- 
ing with  eyes  of  stone  on  the  changes  which  have  suc- 
ceeded to  so  much  fame ! 

"  Yanity,  vanity,  all  is  vanity ! " 

We  took  our  seats  in  the  boat  amidst  the  shouting  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  village,  who  had  followed  us  in 
our  examination  of  the  place,  and  crossed  to  the  oppo- 
site shore  to  take  a  sketch.  I  forgot  to  mention  that 
while  we  were  on  the  island  we  saw  an  English  daha- 
beeh  entering  the  port.  It  was  the  JYo  JSFame,  with 
the  English  divines  and  Mustapha,  the  brother  of  our 
dragoman,  on  board.  They  left  the  Messenger  Bird 
and  the  Bund  at  Siout.  We  afterwards  conversed  with 
Mustapha,  who  does  not  seem  to  be  very  well  satisfied 
with  his  party.  Mr.  Rogers  called  on  them,  and  they 
told  him  that  they  thought  the  Bund  and  Messenger 
Bird  were  now  at  Luxor.  While  we  were  busy  with 
our  drawings,  Aline,  who  had  returned  on  board,  passed 
her  time  most  agreeably.  A  steamboat  provided  by  the 
Pacha  arrived  with  several  gentlemen,  two  of  whom 
were  with  us  on  the  Principe  Tomasso,  and  had  called 
with  their  friends,  a  gentleman  from  Smyrna,  and  a 
Greek,  I  believe. 


98  THE   NIL03IETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SODL. 

I  had  just  commenced  writing  when  Abousaid 
brought  in  a  card,  announcing  the  Rev.  Andrew  Jukes 
and  Mr.  Hamson,  from  the  English  boat  No  Name, 
and  soon  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wight  followed. 

Mr.  Rogers  and  I  entertained  them  for  an  hour; 
but  while  listening  to  their  conversation  I  could  not  help 
comparing  the  life  on  their  boat  with  that  on  ours. 

While  basking  in  the  sunshine  of  that  wondrous  cli- 
mate, and  elevating  our  minds  in  the  midst  of  those 
marvels  of  antiquity,  we  had  seen  with  regret  day  after 
day  pass  never  to  return ;  while  they  complained  of 
passing  dull  and  monotonous  weeks,  and  were  only  too 
anxious  to  reach  Cairo  again. 

When  they  had  taken  leave  Mr.  Rogers  smilingly  re- 
marked :  "  How  is  it  possible  for  three  crabbed  old 
bachelors  [Mr.  R.  is  himself  ''one  of  them']  to  pass 
ninety  days  together  without  wearisomeness  and  ennui 
creeping  in  ?  To  light  up  and  enliven  '  Life  on  the 
Nile '  requires  the  presence  of  ladies.  Woman  is  the 
^ood  fairy  distributing  smiles  and  sunshine  around 
Aer." 

In  the  evening  we  received  another  visit  from  the 
gentlemen  of  the  Tomasso,  who  were  soon  "  at  home  " 
with  us,  smoking  chibouks  and  sipping  coffee.  With 
them  was  the  private  dragoman  of  the  Pacha,  a  very 
well-educated  person,  speaking  French  and  English 
fluently,  and  who  loves  his  country,  Egypt,  as  much  as 
Mr.  Rogers  does  America.  We  listened  with  pleasure 
as  he  gave  us  better  ideas  of  the  agriculture  of  the 
country  than  those  we  had,  and  of  the  cotton  crop  par- 
ticularly.    It  was  the  first  time  he  had  ascended  the 


THE   NILOMETER   AND    THE    SACKED    SOIL.  99 

Nile,  and,  like  many  others,  had  been  disappointed  in 
the  scenery  ;  yet  one  true  thing  he  said  ;  that  travellers 
coming  to  Egypt  were  sure  to  find  not  only  health  but 
knowledge.  Pie  seemed  quite  enthusiastic  about  the 
wondrous  Nile,  and  the  richness  of  the  soil  compared 
with  other  countries. 

"  "Where,"  said  he,  "  will  you  find  another  favored 
land  like  this,  watered  annually  by  the  overflowing  of 
the  Nile,  enriching  by  its  deposit,  and  preparing  the 
soil  for  the  fruition  of  the  seed  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Rogers ;  "but  how  do  you  continue 
the  necessary  moistening  of  the  land  %  Manual  labor  is 
required  at  your  shadoofs  from  the  planting  time  until 
the  harvest." 

"  True,"  said  our  Egyptian  friend ;  "  but  do  you  not 
do  the  same?" 

"  Certainly  not ;  God  does  our  work,  while  man  does 
yours.  He  gives  us  plentiful  showers  as  the  soil  and 
plant  require  it." 

This  was  a  poser,  and  he  was  forced  to  admit  that 
competition  could  not  take  place  between  Providence 
and  humanity. 

It  being  our  first  meeting  with  such  an  educated 
Egyptian,  we  listened  with  much  pleasure  to  the  general 
information  he  gave,  and  the  evening  passed  pleasantly 
until  ten,  when  they  all  wished  us  good-night  and  a 
happy  voyage. 

Saturday,  January  25. 

"We  did  not  at  first  know  whether  we  could  begin  our 
passage  of  the  first  cataract  to-day,  it  being  the  end  of 


100  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

Ramadan,  the  Egyptian  Christmas.  But  our  dragoman 
was  anxious  to  start,  and  promised  backsheesh  ;  so  after 
breakfast,  with  a  very  light  wind,  we  spread  our  sails, 
and  commenced  to  pass  between  the  rocks  which  cover  the 
river,  forming  a  great  many  channels.  The  scenery  is 
quite  different  from  all  we  have  yet  seen  ;  the  rocky 
islets  presenting  curious  formations.  We  increased  our 
force  of  men  when  leaving  Syene,  or  Assouan.  Some 
time  before  we  arrived  at  Sehail  the  eddies,  produced  by 
the  rocks  which  obstruct  the  river,  were  so  strong  that 
some  of  the  crew  went  in  the  yawl,  and  attached  a  rope 
around  a  rock  a  hundred  yards  ahead,  thus  helping  us 
to  pass.  Sehail  is  the  first  interesting  island  we  ap- 
proached, and  is  situated  at  the  first  gate  or  rapid. 
There  we  found,  a  hundred  Nubians  waiting  for  us ; 
fifty  of  them  came  on  board,  while  fifty  others  went  far- 
ther off,  to  pull  the  rope  when  ready.  A  curious  scene 
was  then  presented.  Nubians,  the  best  swimmers  we 
ever  saw,  jumped  in  the  water,  rode  astride  a  light  log, 
and  carrying  the  rope  around  their  necks,  or  between 
their  teeth,  took  it  to  the  men  who  attached  it  to  the 
rocks,  while  the  Nubians  on  the  Oriental,  all  the  time 
singing,  pulled  at  the  rope,  passing  in  turn  before  the 
excited  scheik,  who  is  dancing  and  whirling  a  stick 
about  his  head.  These  naked  Nubians,  with  the  hot  sun 
shining  on  their  copper  skins,  floating  on  the  water  with 
the  current,  or  swimming  against  it  as  easily  as  if  walk- 
ing, brought  to  my  mind  the  imaginary  picture  I  had 
often  formed,  when  on  Lake  George  and  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  of  the  Indians  in  their  canoes  in  by-gone  times. 
The  first  gate  is  passed ;  the  men  stop  to  rest,  clapping 


THE   NTLOMETEB  AND   THE   SACEED   SOTE.  101 

hands  and  dancing,  their  manner  of  showing  their  satis- 
faction. After  we  were  through  the  second  gate,  we 
beheld  Messrs.  Jukes,  Hamson,  and  Wight  on  the  shore. 
They  manifested  a  desire  to  come  on  board  and  witness 
the  performance ;  so  we  sent  our  yawl,  and  could  not 
help  admiring  the  manner  in  which  the  sailors  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  eddies  to  reach  the  dahabeeh.  Refresh- 
ments were  presented  to  the  gentlemen,  and  all  our 
attention  was  again  given  to  the  third  gate  ;  which  took 
a  long  time  to  pass.  Here  the  rock,  which  cuts  trans- 
versely a  part  of  the  course  of  the  river,  can  be  com- 
pared to  a  dentated  wall,  whose  crest  shows  itself  above 
the  water  at  short  distances,  and  forms  a  series  of 
islands  and  shoals.  The  Nile,  being  pent  up  by  these 
obstacles  and  driven  back,  raises  itself  and  overleaps 
them,  and  thus  forms  a  number  of  little  cascades.  At 
five  o'clock  we  anchored,  and  the  gentlemen  took  leave, 
thanking  us  for  the  pleasure  they  had  enjoyed. 

Sunday,  January  26. 

We  breakfasted  at  seven  o'clock,  so  as  to  be  through 
before  the  swarm  of  Nubians  should  arrive.  To-day 
there  were  three  hundred,  for  we  had  to  pass  through 
the  most  difficult  part,  which  occupied  three  hours  and 
a  half.  At  one  moment  it  was  very  exciting ;  the  passage 
through  the  rocks  and  rapids  is  so  narrow,  we  were  un- 
certain as  to  whether  our  dahabeeh  could  be  taken  over 
safely.  Five  enormous  ropes  were  attached  to  as  many 
prominent  rocks,  so  that  in  case  one  or  two  should  give 
way,  we  might  yet  be  held  by  the  others,  and  not  dash- 
ed to  pieces.     I  must  say  that  I  did  not  see  the  danger  ; 


102  THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

Tom  explained  it  to  me,  but  I  thought  from  all  accounts 
it  would  have  been  more  terrific.  At  the  last  gate  is 
the  strongest  and  heaviest  rapid  of  all ;  but  they  suc- 
ceeded in  passing  through  without  accident.  It  is 
now  one  o'clock,  and  during  all  the  time  of  the  passage 
a  party  of  Europeans  had  been  witnessing  the  opera- 
tion. We  thought  the  picture  must  have  been  admira- 
ble from  the  shore:  the  dahabeeh  dancing  on  the  brawl- 
ing torrent; -the  men  scattered  about  the  rocks,  with 
their  picturesque  dresses ;  while  others  are  pulling  at  the 
ropes  to  force  the  boat  to  pass  ;  our  sailors,  armed  with 
strong  poles,  watching  to  ward  off  the  shocks  ;  while 
naked  Nubians,  as  strong  as  Hercules,  their  backs  to  the 
boat  and  their  feet  as  buttresses,  are  also  acting  as  fen- 
ders. Mohammed  informed  us  that  the  party  on  shore 
was  the  Russian  Consul  and  lady,  with  their  attendants, 
from  the  dahabeeh  Memphis,  who  must  have  been  very 
much  interested,  as  they  remained  during  the  three 
hours  of  our  passage,  notwithstanding  their  exposure  to 
the  burning  rays  of  a  mid-day  sun.  When  we  arrived 
near  them,  we  sent  our  cards  inviting  them  on  board  to 
partake  of  some  refreshments ;  but  the  lady  being  afraid 
they  declined  the  invitation. 

The  view  in  approaching  Philte  was  enchanting. 
This  island  (with  its  green  vegetation),  covered  with 
ancient  temples,  is  the  most  beautiful  point  in  all 
Egypt,  whose  extreme  limit  it  is,  and  merits  a  particu- 
lar description,  which  I  shall  give  when  we  return,  as 
we  propose  then  to  pitch  our  tent  and  remain  three 
days.  We  only  delayed  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  just  long 
enough  for  our  dragoman  to  pay  the  reis  of  the  cata- 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  103 

ract ;  while  Tom  made  use  of  the  delay  to  go  on  shore 
and  take  a  general  view,  and  soon  we  were  off  again. 

Nubia,  which  we  have  now  entered,  is  much  grander 
and  bolder  in  its  scenery,  thus  far,  than  Egypt.  Din- 
ner was  announced,  but  we  were  in  a  beautiful  bay, 
and  were  determined  to  stay  on  deck  until  we  had 
passed  it.  The  weather  for  two  days  has  been  very 
warm,  105°  in  the  sun  ;  it  is  evident  we  are  nearing  the 
tropics.  At  eight  o'clock  the  wind  died  out,  and  we  an- 
chored on  a  pretty  shore,  where  the  crescent  moon  shone 
brightly  through  the  palm-trees. 

Monday,  January  27. 

We  have  had  four  hours'  sailing  during  the  night,  and 
it  was  cold  this  morning.  We  commenced  breakfast  at 
eight  o'clock,  but  left  it  unfinished  to  go  on  deck  and 
admire  the  bold  scenery.  As  we  near  Kalabshee,  the 
mountains  which  fringe  the  two  sides  of  the  Nile  con- 
tract so  as  to  leave  no  passages  along  its  banks  ;  rocks 
appear  thickly  above  the  surface  of  the  water  and  form 
little  rapids,  affording  a  view  grander  than  when  pas- 
sing the  cataract.  At  Kalabshee  we  saw  the  ruins  of 
the  temple,  which  we  will  visit  on  our  return. 

Tuesday,  January  28. 

"We  were  under  way  at  half-past  five  a.m.,  with  a 
good  northerly  wind.  At  half-past  six  passed  the  Bri- 
tish boat  XlstlHdS?  on  ner  return,  and  at  seven  ano- 
ther dahabeeh,  also  under  British  colors,  bound  down, 
without   a  name.       At    half-past    seven,   passed    the 


lOtt  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

ruins  of  the  temple  of  Dakkek,  and  a  few  hours  later 
two  American  dahabeehs,  named  the  Thetis  and  Heron. 
We  tied  up  for  the  night  at  Wadee-el-Arab. 

Wednesday,  January  29. 

A  faint  ah*  is  stirring,  but  from  the  south,  and  the 
men  are  out  tracking.  I  think  Nubia  is  the  poorest 
land  I  have  ever  seen.  The  hills  approach  almost  to 
the  river,  consequently  there  are  no  plains  to  overflow  ; 
and  the  only  cultivatable  lands  are  the  banks,  after  they 
are  left  bare  by  the  receding  waters.  Here  are  a  few 
beans,  lentils,  lupins,  and  a  little  wheat.  Occasionally 
one  sees  some  palm-trees,  and  these  suffice  for  the  few 
wants  of  a  primitive  population  in  a  climate  where 
little  or  no  animal  food  is  required.  Last  night  we 
heard  the  cries  of  the  jackals  that  came  to  the  river 
for  water  and  plunder  ;  a  stray  lamb  or  chicken  is  the 
great  desideratum,  but  sometimes  they  have  been 
known  to  attack  a  man.  At  eleven  a.m.  a  small 
steamer  passed  us  on  the  way  down,  with  some  passen- 
gers on  board,  who  fired  a  salute,  which  we  acknow- 
ledged by  dipping  our  colors.  This  vessel  was  hauled 
over  the  first  cataract,  by  order  of  the  Pacha,  during 
the  high  water,  in  anticipation  of  the  visit  of  the  Duke 
and  Duchess  of  St.  Albans,  to  convey  them  from  the 
first  to  the  second  cataract.  After  having  performed  the 
allotted  task,  the  Pacha  gave  orders  that  any  two  or  more 
voyagers,  who  were  willing  to  pay  twenty  pounds  each, 
might  have  the  use  of  the  boat  for  the  same  purpose. 
"We  tied  up  for  the  night  at  Sabooa. 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    S ACRED    SOIL.  105 

Thursday,  January  30. 
No  wind  until  ten  a.m.,  when  a  moderate  northerly 
breeze  sprang  np,  and  we  made  good  time  during  the 
day,  passing  the  same  kind  of  country.     "Wind  died 
out  during  the  afternoon,  and  we  tied  up  at  Korusko. 

Friday,  January  31. 
Here  the  river  makes  a  bend,  and  our  course  hence 
to  Derr,  about  twelve  miles,  is  almost  north.  In  this 
reach  the  wind  is  almost  always  adverse,  and  it  is  neces- 
sary to  track.  Our  case  proved  no  exception  to  the 
general  rule,  and  as  the  movement  was  very  slow,  par- 
ticularly against  a  fresh  breeze,  we  all  went  on  shore 
for  a  promenade.  We  tied  up  in  the  evening  opposite 
Hassaya,  not  having  made,  during  the  whole  day,  more 
than  five  or  six  miles. 
5* 


CHAPTEK    VIII. 

CONTINUATION     OF    VOYAGE     UP     THE     NILE — LADY     DUFF 
GORDON — ARRIVAL     AT    WADI-HALFAH — ARAB     DANCE — 

CATARACT  OF  BATN-EL-ITAGAR DOWN  STREAM TEMPLES 

OF    FERAYG    AND    ABOU    SIMBEL ARRIVAL    AT    DERR 

NUBIAN     WEDDING TEMPLE      OF      HERON TEMPLE      OF 

AMADA,     BUILT     B.C.     2700 TEMPLE    AT    DAKKEH KA- 

LABCHEH,    ITS   TEMPLE. 

Saturday,  February  1,  1868. 
IND  ahead,  and  the  men  out  tracking.  After 
breakfast  all  took  a  walk  on  shore,  and 
found  the  country  much  prettier  than  that  we 
have  seen  for  some  days  past.  The  creaking 
of  the  sakyeh,  or  water-wheel,  is  never  out  of  hearing,  as 
they  are  placed  in  continuous  rows,  from  one  hundred 
and  fifty  to  two  hundred  feet  apart.  Just  as  we  arrived 
at  Derr  we  saw  a  dahabeeh  approaching,  which  proved 
to  be  the  Estella,  and  Mr.  Laming  came  in  the  yawl  to 
pay  us  a  visit.  They  have  only  been  to  Abou-Siinbel, 
and  are  now  on  their  way  back  to  Assouan.  He  offered 
to  take  lettei's,  which  he  would  mail  for  us  in  Thebes, 
but,  unhappily,  not  expecting  to  meet  him  so  soon,  we 
had  none  ready. 

Sunday,  February  2. 
Very  good   wind   all   day   until   eight   o'clock   this 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  107 

evening.  In  the  afternoon  we  met  the  dahabeeh  of 
Lady  Duff  Gordon,  bound  down  the  river,  who  sent 
her  dragoman  to  inquire  if  we  had  letters  for  her.  "We 
had  none,  but  sent  our  cards  and  a  copy  of  the  "  London 
Times,"  given  to  us  at  Assouan  by  the  French  gentle- 
men. She  is  an  English  lady,  living  in  Thebes,  where 
she  has  adopted  many  Oriental  fashions.  Strangers  are 
always  anxious  to  see  her,  and  we  will  probably  pay  her 
a  visit  on  our  way  back.  The  weather,  though  beautiful 
and  clear,  has  been  quite  cool  for  two  da}-s,  and  El-Adli 
says  we  will  find  it  very  cold  in  "Wadi-Halfah.  "We 
have  moonlight  nights  again,  and  yestereven,  as  I  could 
not  go  to  sleep  for  a  long  time,  I  passed  half  an  hour 
looking  out  of  my  window.  All  was  quiet,  and  the 
starry  heavens  presented  a  glorious  sight,  yet  the 
scenery  around  was  so  tame  that  I  could  not  help  con- 
trasting it  with  a  moonlight  night  we  passed  last  13th  of 
August,  in  a  new  Swiss  chalet  at  Frutigen,  after  coming 
down  from  the  Gemmi.  Being  wearied,  we  retired 
early,  but  waking  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  I  found 
my  room  so  light  that  I  arose,  and  stepping  out  on  the 
balcony,  could  hardly  repress  a  cry  of  admiration.  The 
Kanderthal,  surrounded  by  lofty  peaks,  the  Birren-horn, 
the  "Weisse  Fran,  the  Doldenhorn,  the  Gellihorn,  the 
Niesen,  were  lighted  up  by  a  full  moon,  leaving  here 
and  there  some  deep  shadows,  while  other  places  ap- 
peared as  if  illuminated  by  the  sun.  The  Kander 
was  running  at  my  feet ;  its  music  was  sweet  to  the  ear ; 
the  painter  was  God !  Each  time  I  enjoy  a  moonlight 
scene,  I  see  the  snow-clad  mountains  of  Frutigen  shining 
before  me. 


108  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

Monday,  February  3. 

We  have  bad  a  good  wind  all  day,  and  Mohammed 
thinks  we  will  arrive  at  Wadi-Halfah  to-night.  This 
morning  at  nine  o'clock  we  passed  the  magnificent 
temple  of  Abou  Simbel.  At  one  o'clock  an  American 
dahabeeh  came  in  sight ;  soon  a  yawl,  with  the  drago- 
man, was  seen  approaching  ;  he  was  a  Maltese,  and  in- 
quired if  we  had  letters  for  his  party,  a  Mr.  Rodman, 
wife,  and  daughters,  of  Boston,  who  left  Cairo  on  the 
5th  of  December.  They  have  had  adverse  winds  all 
the  time,  and  will  stop  only  two  days  at  Philse,  and 
one  week  at  Luxor,  where  we  will  probably  meet  them. 
As  we  came  in  sight  of  "Wadi-Halfah,  the  delighted 
men  took  their  tambourines  and  commenced  to  play 
and  sing,  and  for  the  first  time,  as  is  customary  in  ar- 
riving here,  they  improvised  a  dance — the  most  comical 
thing  we  ever  witnessed.  When  they  had  finished  they 
came  to  shake  hands  with  us,  and  congratulate  us  on 
arriving  at  the  end  of  our  journey. 

Tuesday,  February  4. 

At  twenty  minutes  past  eight  we  took  our  pilot  and 
three  other  men  on  board  the  yawl  with  us,  and  started 
for  Abouseer,  four  miles  and  a  half  above  Wadi-Halfah. 
The  rock  of  Abouseer,  our  destination,  is  about  two  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  level  of  the  river,  from  whose  sum- 
mit you  have  a  scene  savage  beyond  description ;  north, 
east,  and  south,  stretches  before  you  the  cataract — Batn- 
el-Hagar  (The  Stone  Belly)  as  it  is  called  by  the  Arabs. 
Thousands  of  black  rocks  obstruct  the  current  of  the 


THE   KILOMETER,   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL.  109 

river,  which  finds  as  many  narrow  channels  impassable 
to  boats.  The  gushing  water  is  not  so  terrific  as  Strabo 
describes  it,  who  stated  that  he  was  deafened  by  the 
noise.  What  would  he  have  said  of  our  Niagara  ?  The 
cataract  extends  six  miles  ;  on  its  shores  are  neither  vil- 
lages nor  habitations — all  is  silent  and  deserted.  We 
sat  down  in  the  shade  of  Abouseer ;  for  carpet  our  feet 
had  the  sand  blown  hither  by  the  wind  from  the  desert 
of  Abou-Solom,  and  on  our  right  stretched  a  chain  of 
rocks,  whose  summits  are  frequented  by  wild-pigeons. 
A  salute  of  thirteen  guns  was  fired  by  the  gentlemen, 
which  disturbed  the  wild-fowl  and  vultures  in  their 
repose.  At  twelve  we  took  a  very  good  lunch,  with 
red  wine  and  champagne,  in  which  our  men  partici- 
pated ;  and  before  leaving,  Mr.  Rogers  having  written 
a  few  lines  from  Walter  Scott  appropriate  to  the  occa- 
sion : — 

"  Breathes  there  the  man  with  soul  so  dead 
Who  never  to  himself  hath  said — 

This  is  my  own,  my  native  land ! 
"Whose  heart  hath  ne'er  within  him  burned, 
As  home  his  footsteps  he  hath  turned 

From  wandering  on  a  foreign  strand  ? 
If  such  there  breathe,  go,  mark  him  well ; 
For  him  no  minstrel  raptures  swell. 
High  though  his  titles,  proud  his  name, 
Boundless  his  wealth  as  wish  can  claim, 
Despite  those  titles,  power,  and  pelf, 
The  wretch,  concentred  all  in  self, 
Living,  shall  forfeit  fair  renown, 
And,  doubly  dying,  shall  go  down 
To  the  vile  dust  from  whence  he  sprung, 
Unwept,  unhonored,  and  unsung." 


110  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SODL. 

enclosed  them  in  a  champagne  bottle,  and  directed  it, 
with  our  names,  as  well  as  that  of  the  boat,  to  any 
American  who  should  hereafter  visit  the  place. 

We  were  back  on  our  dahabeeh  at  two  o'clock,  and 
found  dromedaries  waiting  for  us  to  ride,  and  although 
a  little  frightened  at  first,  when  once  mounted,  thought 
it  a  pleasant  method  of  locomotion.  Tom  tried  to  take 
a  picture  of  us,  but  the  animal  on  whose  back  I  was  seat- 
ed was  so  restless  that  he  had  to  try  again,  still  with- 
out success.  Since  our  arrival  our  boat  has  been  put 
in  readiness  for  the  return  trip :  the  crew  have  taken 
off  the  sails,  lowered  the  yards  and  arranged  them  ; — the 
long  one  fastened  fore  and  aft,  from  mast  to  mast,  just 
overhead,  and  the  short  one  aft  shifted  to  the  foremast, 
to  cany  sail  sufficient  for  steering ; — the  current  and 
our  twelve  sweeps,  manned  by  as  many  "  sinewy-armed 
men  of  bronze,"  being  the  only  motive  power  used  on 
the  Nile  in  returning.  We  left  Wadi-Halfah  at  five 
o'clock  P.M. 

"Wednesday,  February  5. 
The  men  rowed  all  night ;  the  wind  was  neither  good 
nor  bad,  yet,  helped  by  the  current,  we  soon  arrived  in 
sight  of  Abou  Simbel,  and  took  the  yawl  to  visit  the 
small  temple  of  Ferayg,  consisting  of  a  hall  supported 
by  four  columns  and  two  side  chambers.  It  has  the 
name  and  sculpture  of  Amenophis,  of  the  XYIIIth  dy- 
nasty, and  was  constructed  about  sixteen  hundred  years 
B.C.  It  was  during  the  XVIIIth  dynasty  that  the 
most  beautiful  temples  and  monuments  of  Egypt  were 
built.     The  temple  of  Ferayg  was  afterwards  used  as  a 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  Ill 

Christian  church.  In  entering  we  saw  upon  the  ceiling 
a  rude  painting  of  Christ,  dressed  in  a  long  brown  robe, 
and  his  curly  hair  surrounded  by  an  aureola.  If  the 
stones  could  speak,  how  much  they  would  have  to  tell 
of  the  numbers  of  the  faithful  who  have  there  knelt 
down  !  We  have  now  entered  a  region  of  ruins  which 
succeed  each  other  almost  without  interruption.  After 
leaving  Ferayg  we  rowed  down  the  river,  and  arrived 
at  the  same  time  as  the  dahabeeh  before  the  two  beau- 
tiful temples  of  Abou  Simbel,  which  are  cut  in  the 
rock ;  date  from  the  reign  of  the  great  Rameses  II., 
1311  B.C.  ;  are  the  handsomest  remains  in  Nubia  and 
except  Thebes,  in  all  Egypt.  Mr.  Rogers  and  I  first 
visited  the  smaller  temple  ;  but  as  we  had  forgotten  to 
take  candles,  could  not  see  the  chambers  in  the  rear. 
We  afterwards,  however,  all  inspected  it  together.  The 
facade  is  ornamented  with  six  colossi,  each  thirty- 
six  feet  in  height,  representing  Rameses  and  his 
wife  ISTofriari,  with  their  children.  The  interior  has 
three  divisions ;  the  first  room  is  supported  by  six 
pilasters,  with  chapiters  having  Isis'  heads  sculp- 
tured on  them,  which  are  perfectly  preserved ;  and 
all  the  walls  are  decorated  with  sculptures,  but  much 
injured  by  time  and  the  hand  of  the  spoiler.  We 
then  explored  the  great  temple,  a  wonderful  work 
of  ancient  times.  The  exterior  is  remarkable  for  the 
four  most  beautiful  of  all  Egyptian  colossi ;  represent- 
ing Rameses  II.,  seated  on  thrones  attached  to  the  rock, 
and  the  faces,  of  some  which  are  fortunately  well  pre- 
served, evince  a  beauty  of  expression  the  more  striking 
as  it  is  unlooked  for  in   statues  of  such  dimensions. 


112  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

Their  total  height  is  about  sixty-six  feet,  without  the 
pedestal:  the  ear  measures  three  feet  five  inches  ;  fore- 
finger to  the  fork  of  the  middle  finger,  three  feet ;  from 
inner  side  of  the  elbow  joint  to  the  end  of  the  middle 
finger,  fifteen  feet.  The  total  height  of  the  facade  of 
the  temple  may  be  between  ninety  and  one  hundred 
feet.  About  thirty  years  ago  Mr.  Hay  cleared  to  the 
base  of  the  two  colossi  on  the  south  side  of  the  door ; 
of  which  circumstance  he  made  an  inscription  over  the 
door-way.  He  also  exposed  to  view  the  curious  Greek 
inscription  of  the  Ionian  and  Carian  soldiers  of  Psam- 
meticus,  first  discovered  by  Mr.  Banks  and  Mr.  Salt,  as 
well  as  some  interesting  hieroglyphic  tablets,  which  still 
remain  in  sight. 

We  found  before  the  entrance  at  least  fifty  Arabs, 
men  and  children,  busy  taking  the  sand  from  the  door- 
way, yet  we  had  to  stoop  down  and  crawl  into  the  in- 
terior, which  comports  well  with  the  grandeur  of  the 
facade.  The  grand  hall  is  immense,  and  supported  by 
a  double  row  of  eight  Osiride  columns  eighteen  feet  high, 
without  the  cap  and  pedestal ;  only  one  of  which  is  en- 
tirely visible,  the  others  being  partially  buried  in  the 
sand.  The  second  room  has  only  four  square  pillars, 
without  statues,  and  to  it  succeeds  a  corridor,  and  the 
adytum,  with  two  side  chambers.  Eight  other  rooms 
open  on  the  grand  hall,  but  they  are  very  irregularly 
excavated,  and  some  of  them  have  lofty  benches  project- 
ing from  the  walls.  In  the  centre  of  the  adytum  is  an 
altar,  and  at  the  upper  end  are  four  statues  in  relief. 
The  walls  are  entirely  covered  with  very  well  preserved 
sculptures,  representing  military  expeditions  from  the 


THE   KILOMETER   AND  THE   SACRED   SOIL.  113 

time  of  Rameses.  The  heat  was  exceedingly  oppressive, 
augmented  by  the  resinous  torches  held  by  our  men,  and 
we  were  glad  to  get  some  fresh  air.  The  rays  of  the 
sun  being  intense,  Aline  and  I  went  back  to  our  daha- 
beeh,  while  Tom,  attended  by  Mr.  Rogers,  took  a  view 
of  the  great  temple.  The  men  are  again  rowing,  and 
our  boat  is  gliding  over  the  water. 

Thursday,  February  6. 

It  is  the  first  cloudy  morning  we  have  had.  "We  ar- 
rived at  Derr  at  a  quarter  before  two  p.m.,  where  we 
tied  up  and  went  on  shore.  We  passed  through  the 
town,  which  is  entirely  built  of  unburnt  brick  plastered 
with  mud  ;  and  groves  of  date-trees  give  it  a  pictu- 
resque appearance.  The  temple  here,  having  a  depth  of 
one  hundred  and  two  feet  in  the  rock,  is  also  from  the 
reign  of  Rameses  II.  A  great  part  of  the  portico  is 
gone,  the  excavated  portion  alone  remaining ;  while  the 
sculptures  are  inferior  to  any  that  we  have  yet  seen, 
and  very  much  injured.  This  temple  was  consecrated 
to  Amoun-Ra,  from  whence  the  city  took  the  name  of 
Pe-ra,  or  the  city  of  the  sun. 

In  leaving  it  we  were  surrounded  by  the  natives,  par- 
ticularly women,  offering  to  sell  straw  baskets  coming 
from  the  White  River.  We  have  not  yet  found  any  of 
the  Nubian  women  dressed  as  we  had  anticipated,  i.e., 
solely  with  the  fringe :  on  the  contrary,  unlike  the  Egyp- 
tian women,  who  have  part  of  the  legs  bare,  they  have 
long,  wide  drawers,  falling  almost  to  the  feet,  and  wear 
loose  dresses  trailing  on  the  ground.  They  are  about 
the  color  of  Indians,  and  have  a  peculiar  mode  of  plait- 


114  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

ing  the  hair  in  short  braids  which  hang  all  around  the 
head ;  nearly  to  the  eyes  on  the  forehead,  and  about  six 
inches  down  the  back.  The  end  of  the  plait  has  a  little 
bit  of  clay  fastened  on  it,  tending  to  keep  it  in  place, 
while  the  hair  is  so  plentifully  smeared  with  castor-oil 
that  the  odor  is  far  from  being  pleasant. 

On  our  return  we  stopped  before  a  house  where  a 
wedding  was  being  celebrated.  Some  of  the  people 
brought  us  chairs,  and  about  two  dozen  of  the  women, 
old  and  young,  but  all  very  ugly,  commenced  a  sort  of 
dance,  to  the  music  of  a  pair  of  drums.  The  time  they 
kept  was  good,  and  the  scene  was  certainly  novel ;  that 
day  they  were  probably  more  decorated  than  usual.  Bits 
of  metal  were  hanging  from  the  braided  ends  on  their 
foreheads,  other  bits  were  formed  into  necklaces  and 
bracelets,  while  a  few  especially  elegantes  went  so  far  as 
to  have  ear-rings  and  a  nose-ring  with  coral  pendents 
through  one  side  of  the  nose  only.  After  amusing  our- 
selves with  this  sight  we  distributed  some  backsheesh, 
and  left  them  to  their  enjoyment,  followed  by  all  the 
boys  of  the  town. 

We  Jeft  Derr  at  twenty  minutes  past  two,  and  were 
floating  leisurely  down  stream,  when  the  dragoman 
came  to  ask  us  if  we  were  ready  to  go  ashore.  We 
were  approaching  the  temple  of  Amada,  which  stands 
near  the  river,  whose  high  banks  were  overgrown  with 
gum-trees.  It  is  built  of  large  stones,  but  almost  buried 
in  the  sand.  The  rooms,  columns,  and  walls  are  cov- 
ered with  sculptures  which  have  been  painted,  remark- 
able for  the  preservation  of  their  colors;  some  being 
quite  vivid. 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  115 

The  foundation  of  this  temple  seems  to  belong  to  the 
reign  of  Ousertasen  III.,  2,700  b.c.  The  names  of 
Thousmes  TV.  and  Amenhotep  II.  of  the  XYIIIth  dy- 
nasty are  also  mentioned.  In  the  first  century  of  the 
Christian  era  this  temple  was  transformed  into  a  church, 
which  explains  much  of  its  degradation,  but  still  it  is 
elegant  in  its  style.  Soon  we  are  again  floating  down  the 
river.  The  sunset  is  glorious,  resembling  the  one  we 
witnessed  the  day  we  left  Cairo.  The  sky  is  flecked  with 
silver  and  golden  clouds,  and  as  the  sun  declines  towards 
the  west,  the  pale  moon  is  showing  herself  in  the  east. 

Friday,  February  7. 

~No  wind  through  the  night.  We  expected  to  arrive 
in  Dakkeh  this  morning,  but  at  two  o'clock  we  are 
still  on  our  way.  At  six  this  morning  we  passed  an 
American  dahabeeh  moored  to  the  shore :  none  of  her 
people  being  up,  we  could  not  ascertain  who  was  on 
board,  nor  was  any  name  visible.  In  the  afternoon  we 
took  a  walk,  and  found  the  country  to  be  poor ;  some 
scattered  mud-houses  and  the  desert  behind,  sand  every- 
where, and  one  or  two  palm-trees,  were  all  we  met 
with,  except  some  ten  or  twelve  natives,  who,  as  usual, 
followed  us  to  our  boat.  In  the  evening  we  passed 
close  to  a  dahabeeh,  and  as  we  asked  the  name,  were 
answered :  "  Henry  "Williamson,"  probably  an  English 
gentleman. 

Saturday,  Februarys. 

We  arrived  at  Dakkeh  at  one  o'clock  in  the  night, 
tied  up  to  the  shore,  and  early  in  the  morning  went 


116  THE   NILOMETEK  AND   THE    SACKED    SODL. 

to  visit  the  temple ;  but  I  felt  too  unwell  to  appreci- 
ate its  beauty.  It  is  situated  on  the  hill,  five  minutes 
from  the  river  ;  has  been  quite  extensive,  and  was  built 
at  different  periods ;  first  commenced  in  the  time  of 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  by  the  king  of  Ethiopia,  Ergam- 
ene,  and  continued  by  two  others,  and  even  by  the  Ro- 
mans under  Augustus.  During  the  time  of  the  Chris- 
tians, when  all  the  idols  were  thrown  down,  this  once  so 
remarkable  temple  was  much  injured,  and  looks  as  though 
an  earthquake  had  shattered  it.  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers 
examined  it  very  carefully,  while  Aline  and  I  sat  in  the 
sun  and  amused  ourselves  looking  at  all  the  antiquities 
offered  by  the  natives. 

I  must  say  the  contrast  between  their  ancestors  ;  what 
they  have  been,  and  the  present  inhabitants  as  they  are ; 
always  pains  me.  Not  feeling  well  I  returned  to  the 
boat,  carried  by  jidlle  Osman ;  the  sand  being  too  heavy 
to  permit  me  to  walk.  Before  leaving  Dakkeh,  Aline 
and  Mr.  Rogers  amused  themselves  giving  backsheesh 
to  all  the  children  who  had  accompanied  them,  ?  scene 
always  amusing.  In  the  evening,  at  ten  o'clock,  we 
came  in  sight  of  Gerf-Hassayn.  As  the  moonlight  was 
brilliant,  Mr.  Rogers  and  Tom,  with  Mohammed  and 
five  men,  went  to  visit  its  temple ;  and  returned  at 
midnight,  not  much  pleased  with  the  ruin,  which  is 
very  rude  and  almost  wholly  destroyed. 

Sunday,  February  9. 

"We  arrived  at  Kalabcheh  at  noon.  This  village, 
situated  under  the  tropics,  must  once  have  been  a  very 
considerable  city :    the  remains  of  whose  temple,  ex- 


THE   NILOMETEE    AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  117 

tending  to  the  river,  are  perfectly  wonderful.  What  is 
left  of  two  great  staircases  and  the  high  stone  embank- 
ments attest  what  it  once  was.  The  masses  of  ruins 
are  very  imposing,  of  which  three  rooms  still  remain. 
First  is  a  court,  surrounded  by  columns,  but  only  one 
of  them  now  standing;  then  an  immense  hall,  with 
noble  doorways  and  columns,  the  chapiters  and  walls 
handsomely  wrought ;  the  figures  showing  better  pro- 
portions than  the  generality  of  those  we  have  seen  in 
other  temples.  We  sat  down  on  a  large  shaft  in  the 
great  hall ;  back  of  us  was  another  chamber,  probably 
the  sanctum;  but  we  left  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  to 
inspect  the  remainder,  as  all  the  rooms  are  so  full  of 
huge  stones  that  it  was  too  difficult  for  us  to  climb  over 
them. 

After  Aline  had  left  us,  with  Mahommed,  to  return 
to  the  boat,  Tom  went  on  the  side  hills  to  seek  a  good 
position  for  a  photographic  view.  After  a  while  he 
returned  and  told  us  he  had  discovered  part  of  a  mummy, 
and  wanted  us  to  go  and  look  at  it ;  but  this  was  not 
the  only  one,  for  we  were  among  the  mummy-pits,  dug 
like  small  caves  in  the  rock ;  and  we  took  from  one, 
as  reminiscences,  two  feet,  part  of  the  lower  jaw-bone, 
and  a  few  pieces  of  cere-cloth.  Aline  did  not  much 
approve  our  antiquarian  treasures,  and  it  is  true  that 
their  appearance  is  not  very  inviting.  As  usual,  an 
amount  of  backsheesh  was  distributed,  and  at  half-past 
five  we  left  Kalabcheh,  much  admiring  its  position 
among  dom  and  palm  trees. 

We  passed  an  hour  in  the  evening  on  deck,  listening 
to  the  songs  of  our  sailors,  accompanied  by  the  splashing 


118  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

of  the  oars  in  the  water.     The  night  was  calm,  the  water 
still,  and  the  pass  of  Gebel-Kalabcheh  enchanting. 

Monday,  February  10. 
I  am  still  indisposed,  and  for  the  present  do  not  enjoy 
ranch  our  Egyptian  life.  This  morning,  at  ten,  Tom, 
Aline,  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  to  visit  the  temple  of 
Debout,  built  by  an  Ethiopian  king ;  but  it  is  so  small 
and  so  rudely  constructed  that  they  did  not  take  much 
interest  in  it.  The  weather  was  warm  and  invigorat- 
ing, and  we  thought  it  probable  we  would  arrive  at 
Philas  before  dark.  At  five  we  came  in  sight  of  it,  and 
soon  tied  up  to  the  shore,  as  we  expect  to  stay  three  or 
four  days.  To-night,  for  more  than  two  hours,  we  re- 
mained on  deck,  waiting  for  the  appearance  of  the 
moon :  it  rose  slowly  from  behind  the  hills  opposite,  and 
soon  the  entire  globe  was  reflected  brightly  in  the  water, 
spreading  its  mantle  of  light  on  the  romantic  ruins  of 
the  island. 


Island  of  PnijxE. —  See  page  110. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

PHILiE,  BEAUTIFUL   PHIL M  ! BARON   HUBNER — TEMPLE   OP 

ISIS MEMENTOS    OP   THE  FRENCH  ARMY AN   AMEBIC  AN 

PARTY — IMPRESSIONS — EXCITING  DESCENT  OF  THE  CATA- 
RACT— ASSOUAN AMERICAN  CONSUL— MUSSULMAN  SUN- 
DAT GEBEL    SILSILEH— TEMPLE     OF     EDFOU EL-KAB 

ERMENT THEBES   AGAIN. 

Tuesday,  February  11,  1868. 
BOUT  one  o'clock  we  received  a  visit  from  a 
party  on  board  a  small  steamer,  which  we 
had  observed  lying  on  the  opposite  shore,  and 
which  we  had  supposed  to  be  a  tax-boat. 
There  were  four  persons :  consisting  of  Baron  Hubner 
(celebrated  in  Austrian  politics),  Count  and  Countess  of 
Schonbrun,  and  one  of  the  state  ministers  of  the  Pacha. 
They  were  very  agreeable,  spoke  much  about  Nubia, 
and  were  particularly  interested  in  Tom's  views.  Re- 
freshments were  offered,  and  after  stopping  an  hour, 
they  left  to  take  sketches  of  the  Temples :  and  at  three 
p.m.  Mr.  Rogers  and  I  also  went  to  visit  the  island. 
Beautiful  Philse  !  yet  how  much  more  beautiful  with  its 
splendid  buildings  and  surrounding  groves  and  gardens, 
now  a  mass  of  ruins,  a  picture  of  desolation,  in  the 
midst  of  which  you  silently  pass,  feeling  sad  at  heart. 
It    occupies    a  space  of    about   twelve    acres ;    and  is 


120  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

elevated  sufficiently  above  the  river  to  be  protected 
in  the  time  of  high  water.  The  buildings  are  of  sand- 
stone, and  all  that  remains  is  still  admirable.  They 
were  commenced  under  the  reign  of  Ptolemy  Phila- 
delphia (285-247  b.c),  and  completed  by  his  successor, 
Ptolemy  Evergetes  (247-222  b.c).  The  principal  tem- 
ple, dedicated  to  Isis,  is  composed  of  a  first  pylone,  a 
court-yard,  a  peristyle  (on  the  left  of  which  is  a  side 
temple),  a  second  pylone,  a  portico,  several  halls,  and 
the  sanctuary.  The  width  of  the  facade  of  the  first 
pylone  is  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet;  its  height,  fifty- 
six  feet.  The  temple  is  everywhere  ornamented  with 
sculptures,  but  a  great  part  of  them  were  barbarously 
destroyed  in  the  time  of  the  early  Christians.  In  the 
court-yard  are  the  remains  of  several  granite  sphinxes. 
.Near  the  terrace  is  a  small  but  exceedingly  interesting 
room,  the  four  walls  of  which  are  decorated  with  hiero- 
glyphics and  symbolic  figures  ;  representing  the  various 
processes  of  embalming  the  dead  ;  as  well  preserved  as 
if  they  had  been  finished  yesterday :  being  in  a  retired 
part  of  the  temple,  they  have  escaped  mutilation  from 
barbarous  hands. 

Under  the  first  pylone  I  found  a  commemorative  in- 
scription, engraved  by  the  French  in  1799 :  and  copied 
it  just  as  it  is.     Above  it  in  black  letters  is  written  : — 

"  line  page  d'histoire  ne  doit  pas  etre  salie. 

L'an  VI.  de  la  Republic  le  13  Messidor 

Une  armee  franchise,  commandee 

par  Bonaparte,  est  descendue 

a  Alexandrie. 


THE   KILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  121 

L'armee  ayant  mis  vingt-jours 

apres  les  Mammelouks  en  fuite 

Aux  Pyramides. 

Desaix  commandant  la 

premiere  division  les  a 

poursnivis  au-dela  des 

cataractes  oil  il  est  arrive 

le  13  Yentose  de  l'an  7. 


Les  generaux  de  brigade 

Davoust,  Friand,  et  Belliard 

Doubelot  chef  de  l'etat  major 

Latournerie  Commdt  l'Artillerie 

Eppler  chef  de  la  2eme  legere 

le  13  Yentose  an  YII.  de  la  Republic 

le  3  Mars  an  de  Js  Cst  1799. 

Grave  par  Castex,  sculpteur." 

In  the  court,  before  passing  the  second  pylone,  in  a 
corner  on  the  left,  we  found  also  an  inscription  written 
by  the  scientific  expedition  of  the  same  epoch : — 

"  R.F. 


An  7. 

Balzac. 

Coquerel. 

Coraboeuf. 

Castaz. 

Coutelle. 

Lageriere. 

Ripault. 

Lep&re. 

Mechain. 

Nonet. 

Lenoir. 

Mectoux. 

St.  Genis. 

Yincent. 

Longit.  depuis  Paris  30°  16'  22/; 
Latitude  boreale  21°    &  45/;  " 

The  two  colonnades  to  the  south,  forming  an  avenue 
in  front  of  the  grand  temple,  are  of  the  time  of  the  first 
Caesars.  On  the  riverside  to  the  east  is  an  edifice  domi- 
nating all  the  others,  open  at  the  top  and  sustained  by 

a 


122  THE   NILOMETEE    AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

columns  richly  worked ;  the  remains  of  a  temple  built 
by  Nectanebos  I.  (378-386  B.C.),  thirty  years  only  before 
the  conquest  of  Alexander.  It  is  the  most  ancient 
monument  on  the  island,  and  was  dedicated  to  Isis. 
We  passed  hours  in  our  examinations ;  but  for  a  lover 
of  antiquity,  and  one  skilled  in  the  knowledge  of  hiero- 
glyphics, a  month  in  Philse  would  not  prove  too  much. 

Wednesday,  February  12. 
It  is  now  three  o'clock.  Ever  since  breakfast  Tom 
has  been  busy  taking  photographic  views,  while  Mr. 
Rogers,  Aline,  and  I  went  on  the  island.  I  sat  down 
in  the  little  room  near  the  terrace  and  tried  to  take  a 
sketch  of  two  Egyptian  figures,  but  after  several  at- 
tempts gave  it  up  in  despair.  During  the  afternoon  our 
boat  was  moved  to  the  other  side  of  the  island,  and 
moored  at  the  foot  of  the  great  temple.  The  slope  of 
the  hill  on  which  it  is  situated  is  covered  with  palm  and 
gum  trees ;  and  the  depths  of  the  shadow  alternating 
with  the  light  which  the  moon  reflected,  and  the  temple 
on  the  height,  bathed  in  its  silvery  radiance,  produced  a 
charming  effect :  and  I  could  not  but  indulge  in  deep 
and  serious  feelings  while  contemplating  it,  and  went  to 
sleep  to  dream  of  the  past  grandeur  of  Egypt.  How 
hidden  and  mysterious  are  human  destinies ! 

Thursday,  February  13. 
I  feel  a  great  deal  better  to-day ;  for  a  week  every- 
thing in  my  eyes  had  assumed  a  gloomy  aspect.     This 
morning  the  cloudless  sky,  the  singing  of  the  few  birds 
on  the  island,  the  gracious  flight  of  our  doves  happy  to 


THE   NTLOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  123 

be  at  liberty  again,  the  good-humored  laughter  of  our 
sailors,  the  limpidness  of  the  water,  with  the  reflection 
of  the  trees,  the  sweet  air,  the  sun,  all  and  everything 
find  an  answering  chord  in  my  heart,  which  is  full  of 
thankfulness  to  God,  who  has  permitted  me  to  come 
hither.     Glory  to  Him  ! 

At  twelve  o'clock,  and  just  as  we  had  finished  lunch, 
Mohammed  came  to  inform  us  that  a  party  of  Ameri- 
cans had  arrived  at  Philee,  and  were  visiting  the  great 
temple.  We  soon  saw  them  at  the  entrance,  observ- 
ing our  American  colors.  Mr.  Rogers  and  Tom  went 
to  speak  to  them,  and  learned  that  they  arrived  at  As- 
souan the  day  before,  on  two  dahabeehs  ;  being  a  party 
of  nine  persons.  One  of  the  dahabeehs  is  the  Cleo- 
patra, the  boat  first  chosen  by  us  in  Alexandria,  and 
which  has  since  been  put  in  order,  and  Tom  says  that 
both  gentlemen  and  ladies  seem  to  be  very  sociable. 
He  invited  them  to  lunch  with  us,  but  the  ladies  were 
afraid  to  descend  the  steep  hill,  and  expressed  the  desire 
to  meet  us  in  Thebes,  where  we  will  be  about  the 
same  time.  Several  of  them  are  from  New  York, 
others  from  Massachusetts,  and  a  lady  and  two  daugh- 
ters from  Cincinnati. 

At  three  o'clock  all  of  us  went  to  pay  a  last  visit  to 
wonderful  Philse  ;  and  although  I  cannot  agree  with 
Warren  that  it  is  the  loveliest  island  in  the  world,  it 
is,  perhaps,  the  most  interesting,  with  all  its  ancient  asso- 
ciations ;  yet  it  lacks  its  once  beautiful  gardens,  now 
filled  with  rubbish  ;  and  no  flowers  but  a  few  wild  ones 
are  to  be  found.  Clear  away  the  debris ;  prop  up  yon  fall- 
ing column  ;  support  that  tottering  entablature  ;  plant 


124  THE   NTLOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

shrubbery  in  its  midst ;  thus  making  the  ancient  tem- 
ples look  still  more  grand,  more  sublime. 

Beautiful  Philae  ! — as  beautiful  still,  in  your  ruins,  as 
you  were  in  ages  gone  by!  The  sun  of  an  eternal  sum- 
mer still  gilds  your  shores,  and  the  same  pale  moon 
that  called  to  their  midnight  orisons  the  kingly  priests 
of  yore,  stilt  shines  with  its  silvery  light,  awakening  in 
the  breast  of  the  pale-faced  stranger,  who  has  wandered 
hence  from  his  far  home  in  the  cold  North,  feelings  of 
awe  and  reverence  for  Him  to  whom  time  is  but  a  span 
in  the  circle  of  eternity  ! 

Beautiful  Philse  !  Glimpses  of  the  indistinct  out- 
lines of  your  temples  are  seen  through  the  vistas  of  the 
waving  palms;  the  shining  river  at  your  feet,  the 
mountain  heaps  of  boulders  beyond,  piled  up  at  play 
by  the  giant  descendants  of  the  angels,  long,  long  ages 
before  the  dark-skinned  men  of  Ethiopia  knew  the  land. 
Beautiful  Phite ! 

"We  left  at  half-past  four,  and  moored  near  the  cata- 
ract, so  as  to  be  ready  to  start  as  early  as  possible  to- 
morrow morning,  before  the  wind  should  commence  to 
blow,  otherwise  we  would  be  detained  until  it  had  sub- 
sided. 

Fridat,  February  14. 
At  a  quarter  before  seven  we  were  up  and  taking 
breakfast.  The  reis  of  the  cataract,  with  his  two  steers- 
men and  ordinary  escort  of  men  (at  least  fifty),  had  ar- 
rived. "We  went  upon  deck ;  and  with  much  clamor 
the  men  commenced  to  row  toward  the  rapids,  of  which 
there  are  three.     The  first  is  the  largest,  being  at  least 


Temple  of  Ibis. — See  page  120. 


THE   OTLOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  125 

thirty- three  feet  high,  with  the  waters  boiling  against 
the  rocks ;  the  most,  splendid,  exciting,  admirable,  and 
frightful  scene  we  had  ever  witnessed,  being  a  different 
channel  to  that  by  which  we  had  made  the  ascent.  If 
by  the  least  error  we  miss  our  course,  our  boat  will  be 
dashed  to  Y->ieces,  and  we  shall  be  inevitably  lost ;  but 
we  descended  successfully,  and  only  struck  a  rock  after 
we  had  passed  through.  How  I  wish  Mr.  Chagot  had 
been  there,  to  reproduce  our  'boat  as  it  was  dancing  on 
the  whirling  waters,  seemingly  attracted  by  the  rocks, 
but  held  by  a  sure  hand,  and  passing  with  incredible 
rapidity  between  them.  The  two  other  gates  were  far 
inferior  to  the  first,  yet  were  quite  exciting. 

We  arrived  at  Assouan  at  half-past  nine,  and  found 
two  dahabeehs  moored  to  the  shore :  one  very  small, 
which  we  had  seen  at  Cairo,  called  the  Morning  Star, 
under  British  colors,  and  another,  the  Fawn,  flying  the 
American  flag.  While  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  were  in- 
specting the  quarries,  we  went  with  Mohammed  to  buy 
feathers.  After  examining  the  bazaars,  which  are  the 
cleanest  we  have  yet  seen  in  Egypt,  we  returned  to  the 
boat,  and  soon  after  received  a  call  from  the  American 
Consul.  We  accepted  his  invitation  to  visit  his  wife 
and  daughters,  which  we  propose  to  do  with  the  gen- 
tlemen. 

Upon  the  return  of  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  they  report 
the  quarries  as  well  worth  seeing.  From  here  were 
taken  all  those  huge  blocks  of  hard  granite  so  plentifully 
strewn  throughout  the  land  in  the  form  of  statues  ;  and 
there  is  still  to  be  seen  an  enormous  obelisk,  a  hundred 
feet  in  length,  which  has  never  been  detached  from  its 


126  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

parent  bed  on  account  of  a  flaw,  only  discovered  after 
the  work  had  proceeded  thus  far.  Peculiar  marks  upon 
the  surfaces  of  the  rocks,  about  a  foot  apart,  showing 
where  cuts  had  been  made,  about  six  inches  wide  and 
nine  deep,  are  still  visible,  indicating  that  something 
had  here  been  inserted  to  split  off  the  desired  portion. 
Was  this  water,  dry  wood  afterward  wetted,  or  wedges 
of  iron,  upon  which  a  number  of  workmen,  equal  to  the 
number  of  wedges,  would  incessantly  strike  until  the 
rock  parted  ?  Whatever  the  great  power  employed  to 
cut  the  huge  stones,  convey  them  hundreds  of  miles,  and 
set  them  up  in  their  new  places,  no  doubt  it  was  exceed- 
ingly simple. 

Having  taken  lunch,  we  went  to  the  Consul's,  and 
were  shown  to  the  back  part  of  the  house,  into  what 
might  be  called  the  parlor — a  small  room  with  a  ceiling, 
enclosed  only  on  three  sides,  the  fourth,  opening  upon  a 
yard,  full  of  doves  and  other  birds.  The  room  was 
carpeted,  and  a  very  wide  divan,  with  cushions,  occu- 
pied the  greater  part  of  it.  The  Consul's  son,  a  hand- 
some Egyptian,  introduced  us  to  his  wife  and  sister,  the 
former  being  a  young  and  pretty  woman  of  about  nine- 
teen, but  the  sister  having  nothing  very  pleasing  in  her 
countenance.  We  were  certainly  more  of  a  curiosity 
to  them  than  they  were  to  us ;  for,  after  shaking  hands, 
they  passed  their  time  inspecting  us,  and  commenting 
on  our  peculiar  fashion  of  dress.  They  wore  loose  robes 
of  silk,  with  mantillas  on  their  heads,  and  loads  of  gilt 
necklaces  and  bracelets.  Soon  the  gentlemen  came  in, 
preceded  by  the  father,  who  is  a  Copt,  which  explains 
his  admitting  strangers,  and  particularly  gentlemen,  to 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL.     m        127 

his  house.  The  two  women  were  very  bashful,  the  sister 
particularly  so,  and  hid  her  face  whilst  the  gentlemen 
were  present.  Coffee  and  dates  were  handed  around, 
after  which  the  Consul  presented  us  with  two  red 
Egyptian  vases  and  several  drinking-cups  made  of 
the  mud  of  the  country :  but  as  they  would  have  oc- 
cupied too  much  space  in  our  moderate-sized  trunks, 
we  were  not  able  to  take  them  to  Paris.  After  leaving 
the  Consul's  we  went  through  the  bazars  again,  and 
stopped  at  the  one  we  had  visited  in  the  morning  while 
looking  for  feathers  ;  it  being  new  and  handsomely  built, 
we  wished  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  to  see  it.  The  owner, 
who  is  a  merchant,  and  the  richest  one  of  Assouan,  has 
several  similar  ones.  We  found  him  in  his  store, 
dressed  in  a  blue  silk  wrapper,  and  were  received  by 
him  most  cordially,  taking  us  to  the  top  of  the  house, 
and  showing  us  everything.  It  being  a  Sabbath-day 
with  them,  we  left  him  washing  his  feet  to  go  to  the 
mosque,  and  in  the  bazars  we  found  many  doing  the 
same  thing.  The  mosque  being  open,  we  could  see 
Mahommedans  kneeling  down  on  the  ground  praying. 
"We  had  hardly  reached  the  boat  when  the  Governor  of 
Assouan,  with  his  clerk,  who  carried  the  customary  ink- 
stand hanging  on  his  breast,  and  the  captain  of  a  steamer 
which  was  lying  in  port,  came  to  call  on  us.  "We  enter- 
tained them  as  well  as  we  could,  and  before  they  left 
the  governor  caused  his  clerk  to  write  his  name,  and 
the  date  of  his  visit  to  us,  in  Egyptian  characters,  in 
my  journal.  We  left  Assouan  at  about  three  o'clock  p.m., 
and  Mohammed  says  we  will  be  at  Kom-Ombos  to-night. 
The  guide-book  informs  us  that  very  little  is  left  of 


128  THE   KILOMETER  AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

it,  that  the  ancient  city  as  well  as  the  two  temples, 
or  rather  what  remains  of  them,  are  nearly  buried 
beneath  the  sand,  so  that  we  have  decided  not  to  vi- 
sit that  scene  of  desolation,  but  to  push  on  to  Gebel- 
Silsileh. 

Saturday,  February  15. 

The  most  cloudy  day  we  have  yet  experienced  on  the 
river.  We  passed  Kom-Ombos  at  five  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing, whence  our  little  boat  brought  Osman  on  board,  one 
of  our  crew  who  had  been  visiting  his  parents.  At  ten 
o'clock  we  came  in  view  of  the  Cleopatra,  which  had 
left  Assouan  twenty-four  hours  before  us,  and  we  learned 
that  she  had  been  aground  since  yester  evening.  We 
exchanged  salutes,  and  then  sent  ten  of  our  crew  to 
help  theirs,  and  after  an  hour  and  a  half  hard  labor 
they  succeeded  in  getting  afloat  again.  They  thanked 
us  through  our  men,  who  returned  delighted,  each  one 
having  received  a  bottle  of  wine  for  his  work.  We 
commenced  to  row  again,  and  soon  arrived  at  Gebel- 
Silsileh,  where  the  Cleopatra,  Rachel  (which  we  had 
also  overtaken),  and  Oriental  tied  up  near  each  other ; 
and  Tom  introduced  us  to  the  two  parties,  who  are  the 
same  that  came  to  visit  Philas  while  we  were  there.  On 
the  Rachel  was  Mrs.  Potter,  who  is  in  deep  mourning, 
her  two  daughters,  a  governess,  and  a  courier;  and  on 
the  Cleopatra,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prentiss  Dow,  Mrs.  Sherrer, 
Mr.  Briggs,  son  of  the  ex-Governor  of  Massachusetts, 
and  his  mother-in-law,  a  remarkably  active  old  lady, 
certainly  seventy  years  of  age. 

The  name  Gebel-Silsileh,  applies  to  a  defile  of  the 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  129 

valley,  where  the  two  parallel  chains  of  hills  which 
border  the  river  approach  each  other  until  they  are  only 
five  hundred  yards  apart.  The  Arabs  have  a  tradition 
that  in  by-gone  times  the  river  was  closed  by  means  of 
a  chain,  extended  from  one  shore  to  the  other,  and  thus 
the  name  had  its  origin — Silsileh  in  Arabic  signifying 
chain.  There  are  in  the  rocks  a  great  many  grottoes  or 
sepulchres.  The  most  remarkable  of  these  excavations 
presents  at  the  exterior  a  facade,  supported  by  four  pil- 
lars, and  among  the  hieroglyphical  inscriptions  are  the 
cartouches  of  the  kings  of  the  XVTIIth  dynasty,  and 
of  the  following  ones.  The  bass-reliefs,  as  well  as  the 
hieroglyphics,  are  much  defaced,  and  it  is  very  difficult 
to  decipher  them.  Tom  obtained  a  very  good  picture 
of  the  facade  of  the  temple,  cut  in  the  solid  rock,  with 
Aline,  Mohammed,  and  myself  sitting  in  front. 

What  renders  Silsileh  very  interesting  is  the  immense 
sandstone  quarries,  which  in  former  times  furnished 
enormous  stones  for  the  erection  of  the  temples  in  all 
Egypt.  They  are  very  extensive,  but  all  now  is  silent. 
Centuries  ago  the  chisel  of  the  workman  ceased  to  re- 
sound, and  you  pass  on  gravely,  with  nothing  to  disturb 
your  thoughts  except  your  own  voice,  which,  as  you 
speak,  is  repeated  by  sonorous  echoes.  Egypt !  Egypt ! 
with  wise  and  powerful  men  at  thy  head  thou  yet 
couldst  become  a  rich  and  mighty  nation ! 

"We  left  at  four  o'clock  for  Edfou.  Tom  sent  invita- 
tions to  the  parties  of  the  two  boats  to  come  and  pass 
the  evening  with  us,  which  they  accepted ;  and  after 
dinner  our  deck  and  the  door  of  the  saloon  were  deco- 
rated with  red,  white,  and  blue  lanterns,  in  honor  of  our 
6* 


130  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

visitors,  who  arrived  at  eight  o'clock.  "We  passed  a 
very  agreeable  and  social  evening,  while  amid  a  general 
conversation  tea,  champagne,  lemonade,  crackers  of  all 
descriptions,  and  French  confectionery  were  offered,  and 
we  had  the  satisfaction,  when  our  visitors  departed,  to 
hear  that  this  was  the  pleasantest  evening  they  had 
passed  on  the  Nile.  We  arrived  at  Edfou  at  eleven 
o'clock  at  night. 

Sunday,  February  16. 
We  started  as  soon  as  we  had  finished  breakfast  to 
visit  the  temple  of  Edfou,  which  is  certainly  the  most 
beautiful  we  have  yet  seen  in  Egypt.  Its  grand  and 
imposing  aspect  impresses  you  with  a  feeling  of  won- 
der and  admiration  ;  and  it  is  not  only  the  grandest, 
but  the  best  preserved  of  all  the  temples  of  High 
Egypt.  Eight  years  ago  the  whole  of  the  interior  was 
concealed  by  the  houses  of  the  modern  inhabitants,  so 
that  a  very  small  part  of  it  was  accessible,  through  a 
narrow  aperture,  and  could  only  be  examined  with  the 
assistance  of  a  light ;  at  all  times  annoyed  by  the 
troublesome  importunities  of  the  people.  Under  the 
orders  of  Mr.  Mariette  it  has  been  entirely  excavated, 
and  is  protected  by  the  government,  which  has  placed  a 
guard,  with  twenty-five  men  under  his  control,  to  keep 
it  in  order.  The  door  leads  into  an  immense  court, 
supported  in  front  by  nine  columns,  and  on  each  side 
by  twelve — thirty-three  in  all — covered  with  hierogly- 
phics and  sculptures ;  thence  to  the  temple,  with  a 
portico  of  twelve  immense  columns  ;  the  chapiters,  as 
in   Esneh,  being  each  differently  worked.     The   naos, 


THE   NILOMETER   AOT)   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  131 

or  sanctuary,  with,  a  granite  altar,  where  the  gods  were 
placed,  is  surrounded  by  nine  lateral  rooms,  the  walls 
of  which  are  covered  with  sculptures  and  hieroglyphics, 
all  in  perfect  preservation.  We  went  down  by  a  narrow 
passage  to  the  well  formerly  used  by  the  priests  and  their 
attendants,  and  which  is  still  filled  with  water.  The 
building  is  full  of  secret  staircases,  long  corridors  in  the 
walls,  without  apparent  issues,  but  which  certainly  have 
some  hidden  ones.  We  ascended  to  the  top  of  the  tem- 
ple by  forty-two  steps,  and  there  had  a  splendid  view 
of  the  green  fields,  the  river,  which  here  forms  a  consid- 
erable curve,  and  the  city,  consisting  of  at  least  three 
hundred  houses,  all  built  of  crude  bricks ;  and  as  they 
have  no  roofs,  we  got  a  glimpse  of  their  interiors,  all 
very  dirty.  They  contained  no  furniture,  and  only  straw 
for  bedding,  while  the  sheep  are  joint  occupants  with  the 
people.  The  pigeon-houses  are  much  better  built  than 
the  habitations,  and  present  a  very  pretty  appearance 
from  a  short  distance.  The  parties  of  the  two  boats 
joined  us  in  our  visit,  and  agreed  with  us  that  it  was 
worth  coming  to  Egypt,  if  only  to  see  and  admire  this 
temple.  We  remained  six  or  seven  hours,  and  during 
the  heat  of  the  mid-day  sun,  the  long  galleries,  sup- 
ported by  columns  in  the  great  court,  afforded  us  a 
cool  and  pleasant  retreat,  while  the  sculptures  on  the 
walls  and  columns  were  interesting  to  examine.  Prob- 
ably it  has  served  the  same  purpose  to  the  priests  of 
ancient  times.  We  left  Edfou  in  the  afternoon,  and 
arrived  at  El-Kab  at  eleven  o'clock  at  night. 


132  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

Monday,  February  17. 

The  Rachel  has  left  the  Cleopatra,  and  is  on  her 
way  to  Thebes.  After  breakfast  we,  in  company  with 
the  party  of  the  Cleopatra,  started  to  visit  the  celebra- 
ted grottoes  of  El-Kab,  which  village  marks  the  site  of 
Elethya,  opposite  Hieracopolis.  As  we  were  riding  our 
donkeys  we  could  see  before  us,  the  walls  of  the  ancient 
city,  constructed  of  hollow  bricks ;  and  numerous 
mounds,  formed  by  quantities  of  rubbish,  covering  a  con- 
siderable space  which  was  formerly  occupied  by  private 
residences.  A  few  remains  of  temples  have  alone 
escaped  the  raid  of  time ;  but  they  were  so  distant, 
and  the  weather  so  warm,  that  we  decided  not  to  ex- 
amine them. 

We  visited  the  most  curious  and  important  remains 
of  Elethya, — her  grottoes,  cut  in  the  heights  which 
terminate  the  plain,  and  overlook  the  site  of  the  ancient 
city.  ISTear  a  great  rock  called  El-Mohamid,  several  of 
these  hypogees,  ornamented  with  sculptures,  date  from 
the  first  kings  of  the  XYIIIth  dynasty ;  and  are  cer- 
tainly tombs  of  high  dignitaries  and  puissant  lords. 
The  sculptures  on  the  walls,  as  the  subjects  they 
represent,  are  highly  interesting  ;  the  coloring  being 
still  in  perfect  preservation.  All  the  details  of  agricul- 
ture, fishing,  hunting,  embalming,  and  preparation  of 
mummies  are  represented.  The  owner  of  the  tomb 
is  seated  on  a  handsome  chair,  with  his  wife  near 
him,  and  a  favorite  monkey  at  his  feet ;  a  great  num- 
ber of  his  friends  are  seated  near  them,  smelling 
the  lotus ;  while  others  are  playing  on  instruments  of 
music. 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  133 

We  left  El-Kab  at  eleven  o'clock,  on  our  way  to 
Thebes,  where  we  expected  to  find  letters  from  home. 
At  half-past  four  we  arrived  at  Esneh,  and  as  our  drago- 
man stopped  to  have  coffee  ground,  Aline,  Tom,  and 
Mr.  Rogers  went  on  shore,  to  take  a  walk  in  the 
Pacha's  garden.  During  their  absence  Mr.  Dow 
came  to  invite  us  to  pass  the  evening  with  them, 
while  floating  down  the  Nile.  At  six  p.m.  the  Cleo- 
patra got  under  way,  but  we  had  to  wait  for  the 
return  of  Mohammed,  who  did  not  get  back  until  after 
nine;  and  consequently  abandoned  our  intended  visit. 
A  strong  wind  having  risen  from  the  north,  rendered  it 
impossible  to  make  any  head-way ;  we  therefore  remained 
at  Esneh  until  morning. 

Tuesday,  February  18. 
Only  once  before  have  we  had  such  a  cloudy  sky 
since  we  have  travelled  in  Egypt.  We  had  head- wind 
all  day,  and  heard  that  the  Cleopatra  was  obliged  to 
stop  on  that  account,  and  lay  all  night  behind  the 
Pacha's  garden.  Under  way  in  the  afternoon,  and 
reached  Erment  at  ten  o'clock  at  night. 

Wednesday,  February  19. 
At  nine  o'clock  we  took  donkeys,  and  went  to  visit 
the  temple  of  Erment.  It  was  at  least  three  miles 
from  the  dahabeeh ;  but  we  enjoyed  the  ride,  as  the 
country  was  beautiful  and  abounded  in  trees.  Half  of 
the  way  we  passed  through  an  alley,  with  a  row  of 
acacias  on  each  side ;  on  our  right  and  left  were  groves 
of  palms,  while  beyond  were  fields  of  wheat,  peas,  etc., 


134  THE   ISTILOMETER   AXD   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

of  an  emerald  green.  "We  heard  that  all  that  section  of 
the  country  belongs  to  the  Pacha,  which  accounts  for 
the  good  farming. 

Very  little  is  left  of  the  temple  of  Erment.  The 
village  marks  the  site  of  ancient  Hermonthis,  which 
name  it  still  retains.  The  ancient  temple  of  the  time 
of  Thousmes  III.,  of  the  XXIIId.  dynasty,  has  entirely 
disappeared.  One  hundred  years  before  the  Christian 
era,  a  second  temple  was  built  by  Ptolemy  Alexander, 
and  his  mother,  Cleopatra.  It  is  situated  on  the  left 
of  the  mounds,  and  there  now  remain  only  three  or  four 
columns,  probably  a  part  of  the  portico,  and  near  them 
a  room  in  which  the  hieroglyphics  are  well  pre- 
served ;  but  it  was  so  filthy  we  could  hardly  go  through 
it. 

"We  left  Erment  at  eleven  o'clock,  and,  favored  by 
a  strong  wind,  "  made  "  Thebes  at  half-past  two.  The 
Cleopatra  and  the  Rachel  had  arrived  yesterday.  One 
English  boat  was  also  here,  and  two  steamers,  of  which 
one  was  that  of  Baron  Von  Hubner,  the  Austrian  Min- 
ister, and  Count  and  Countess  of  Schonbrun  ;  the  other, 
a  passenger  steamboat.  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  at 
once  to  the  Consulate,  to  inquire  for  letters.  Mr. 
Ferris  found  a  great  many  for  him,  but  there  were 
none  for  me.  Mr.  Dow,  having  met  them,  asked  after 
us,  and  we  resolved  to  go  and  pass  the  evening  with 
them.  "We  met  there  an  American  gentleman,  Mr. 
Smith,  an  antiquary,  who  has  lived  here  ten  years,  and 
has  a  collection  of  Egyptian  antiquities,  which  he  sells 
at  exorbitant  prices,  a  single  scarabee  being  sometimes 
valued  as  high  as  five,  six,  and  even  seven  pounds  ster- 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACEED    SOIL.  135 

ling.  In  conversation  with  us,  he  corrected  the  impres- 
sion received  from  some  of  Warren's  remarks  regard- 
ing Lady  Duff  Gordon,  who,  he  asserted,  is  not  at  all 
as  eccentric  as  represented  in  his  book. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

THEBES — TEMPLES    OF    MEDINET-ABOU — RAMESIUM — COLOS- 
SAL    STATUE     OF      KAMESES THE    VOCAL      MEMNON AN 

ADVENTURE KOOKNAH — ASSASOEF — DAYE-EL-BAHKEE — 

DJALMA. HIS     HOME — WASHINGTON'S     BIRTHDAY — ILLU- 
MINATION. 

Thursday,  February  20,  1868. 
E  were  up  early,  and  at  eight  o'clock  met  the 
Cleopatra  party  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  all 
started  at  the  same  time  for  Medinet-Abou. 
The  first  ten  minutes  of  the  ride  was  through 
sand ;  and  the  wind  being  very  strong  made  it  quite 
unpleasant ;  but  soon  we  came  to  a  green  and  cultivated 
part  of  the  country.  The  two  temples  of  Medinet-Abou 
(the  name  is  Arabic)  are  situated  about  four  miles,  or 
about  one  hour's  ride,  from  the  shore.  At  the  time  of 
the  Mussulman  conquest  a  small  Copt  city  being  near  it, 
the  inhabitants  had  appropriated,  for  the  culture  of  the 
Christian  faith,  several  of  the  halls  of  the  great  temple. 
On  the  approach  of  the  enemy  they  fled  to  Esneh,  and 
since  that  time  it  has  been  deserted. 

The  houses  had  been  built  on  the  monticules  of  rub- 
bish, which  were  so  high  that  in  some  parts  they  were 
on  a  level  with  the  highest  points  of  the  temple.  Mr. 
Mariette,  the  director  of  the  Museum  at  Cairo,  has  had 
the  debris  that  had  accumulated  within  the  temple  in 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  137 

part  cleared  away;  but  the  work  is  far  from  being 
completed.  The  smaller  temple  was  commenced  by 
Thousmes  I.,  of  the  XYIIIth  dynasty,  about  1660  B.C., 
and  terminated  by  his  successors  Thousmes  II.  and  III. 
The  royal  pavilion  and  the  great  temple  belong  to  the 
reign  of  Barneses  III.,  the  founder  of  the  XX th  dynasty, 
toward  the  vear  1280  b.c.  All  these  buildings  face  the 
Nile. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  the  small  temple  of 
Thousmes  I.,  because  it  loses  all  of  its  importance  near 
the  large  one,  whose  ruin  is  still  very  impressive.  Seated 
all  together  on  the  top  of  the  second  pylone,  we  had  a 
line  view  of  the  whole  edifice.  In  front  was  the  great 
court,  one  hundred  and  ten  by  one  hundred  and  forty- 
five  feet,  having  on  one  side  a  gallery  formed  of  seven 
pillars,  with  caryatides,  and  on  the  opposite  side  eight 
large  columns.  The  walls  of  the  houses  of  the  ancient 
village  formerly  filled  this  yard.  Mr.  Mariette  had  a 
part  removed,  but  half  of  it  is  yet  choked  with  dirt  and 
bricks ;  and  the  columns  are  buried  within  six  feet  of 
the  top.  The  caryatides  are  almost  all  either  broken  or 
buried ;  two  are  covered  with  mud ;  two  others  are  badly 
mutilated;  two  again  broken  to  the  waist,  and  another 
to  the  knee.  On  each  side  of  these  are  small  statues, 
coming  only  as  high  as  their  knees.  In  our  rear,  the 
great  court  is  superior  to  any  we  have  yet  seen  ;  its  por- 
tico was  one  of  the  handsomest  existing  in  Egypt,  being 
125x135  feet.  The  galleries  which, surround  it  were 
formed,  on  the  right,  by  eight  pillars,  which  formerly 
supported  caryatides ;  on  the  left,  similar  ones ;  while 
on  the  north  and  south  were  corresponding  numbers  :  in 


138  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

former  times,  painted  and  ornamented  with  emblematic 
figures.  I  counted  twenty-four  columns,  but  they  were 
all  broken  at  about  the  height  of  five  feet  from  the  sur- 
face. The  walls  of  the  gallery  on  each  side  are  covered 
with  sculptures  and  hieroglyphics,  and  the  painting  on 
some  of  them  is  very  fresh.  The  rest  of  the  temple  is 
a  mass  of  ruins,  so  that  I  could  not  follow  the  traces  of 
the  former  edifice. 

Leaving  Medinet-Abou,  we  visited  the  palace  of 
Rameses  II.,  which  was  known  for  a  long  time  under 
the  name  of  Memnonium  ;  but  since  the  reading  of  the 
inscriptions  by  Champollion,  no  doubt  remains  about  the 
constructor  of  this  once  magnificent  palace,  and  its  true 
designation.  The  reign  of  Rameses  II.,  the  Sesostris  of 
Grecian  historians,  is  placed  between  1407  and  1311 
before  the  Christian  era.  The  palace,  when  it  stood  in 
its  glory,  was  composed  of  a  monumental  entrance,  a 
large  court  ornamented  with  a  double  row  of  columns, 
forming  a  gallery  ;  two  large  halls,  supported  by  numer- 
ous columns,  and  by  a  suite  of  apartments  forming  the 
extremity  of  the  edifice.  A  dromos  and  an  alley  of 
sphinxes  added  to  the  grandeur  of  the  palace,  while  the 
interior  was  ornamented  with  sculptures,  paintings,  and 
colossal  statues.  The  last  have  been  broken,  the  greater 
part  of  the  walls  and  columns  thrown  down,  the  paint- 
ings obliterated,  and  what  remain  of  the  sculptures 
mutilated. 

All  this  was  the  destructive  work  of  Cambyses,  who 
avenged  himself  on  a  conquered  people,  and  at  the  same 
time  annihilated  the  record  of  victories  over  the  Persians, 
whose  remembrance  they  perpetuated.     The  two  py- 


THE   NTLOHETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  139 

Tones  which  formed  the  facade  are  partially  standing, 
but  the  bass-reliefs  thereon  are  almost  defaced.  The 
colossal  statue  of  Rameses,  cut  in  rose  granite  of 
Assouan,  is  badly  broken,  and  its  pieces  cover  a  large 
part  of  the  court.  Its  size,  when  entire,  confounds  the 
imagination ;  for,  although  seated,  Wilkinson  says  that 
it  was  more  than  forty  feet  high,  being  nearly  eleven 
times  the  natural  height,  and  was  cut  from  a  single 
block.  It  is  calculated  that  its  weight  was  more 
than  a  million  of  kilos,  or  eight  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  tons.  The  hall  following  the  yard,  where  the 
statue  of  Rameses  is  lying,  presents  only  a  scene  of 
destruction  ;  two  broken  statues  of  black  marble  have 
fallen  on  the  ground,  the  head  of  one  of  which  is  still 
perfect.  Of  the  rooms  at  the  rear  of  the  edifice,  there 
is  only  one  entire,  supported  by  eight  columns ;  back 
of  these  we  walked  on  monticules  of  rubbish,  and 
from  time  to  time  next  to  a  pit ;  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty  feet  farther  on  we  found  some  vaulted  arches, 
built  of  brick,  as  well  as  bases  of  columns,  and  probably 
the  construction  of  the  palace  extended  beyond  these. 

On  our  return  we  stopped  before  the  two  colossi 
of  Memnon;  which  seated  on  thrones,  and  of  the 
same  immense  proportions,  are  seen  for  miles  off  on  the 
plain.  They  were  cut.  from  coarse,  hard  grit-stone, 
and  the  faces  are  much  mutilated.  Twenty-seven 
years  before  the  Christian  era  one  of  the  statues 
was  broken  in  the  centre,  attributed  by  Eusebius 
to  an  earthquake,  from  which  the  monuments  of 
Thebes  suffered  much  :  and  in  the  third  century, 
under  the  reign  of  Septimus  Severus,  the  injured  part 


140  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

was  rebuilt  by  means  of  blocks  of  sandstone  placed  one 
on  another,  as  seen  to-day.  It  was  known  under  the 
name  of  the  vocal  statue  of  Memnon,  because  it  was 
said  that  every  day  at  sunrise  it  would  utter  an  harmo- 
nious sound.  A  little  boy  climbed  up,  and  striking 
against  a  large  stone  lying  in  the  lap  of  the  statue, 
it  emitted  a  metallic  ring  ;  and  this  stone  undoubtedly 
has  some  connection  with  the  ancient  tradition. 

When  we  were  almost  in  sight  of  the  dahabeeh,  I 
perceived  that  I  had  lost  one  of  my  sleeve-buttons,  and 
then  remembered  that  while  I  was  looking  at  Rameses' 
statue  I  had  heard  something  fall  on  a  stone,  without 
knowing  what  it  was.  I  valued  them  highly,  as  they 
were  given  to  me  by  a  dear  friend  ;  and  having  in- 
formed Aline  of  my  loss,  I  ordered  my  guide  to  come 
with  me,  and  galloped  my  donkey  all  the  distance  back, 
about  three  miles  and  a  half.  The  guide  was  very 
obliging,  but  was  afraid  night  would  come  sooner  than 
I  expected,  and  while  showing  me  the  sun,  just  setting 
behind  the  hills,  he  excited  the  donkey  to  gallop  faster 
and  faster.  It  was  a  glorious  ride,  such  as  I  never  had 
enjoyed  before,  and  not  amiss  either  in  emotions  ;  for  on 
arriving  at  the  ruins,  and  being  surrounded  by  a  dozen 
Arabs,  I  began  to  reflect  that  it  was  not  very  prudent 
for  me  to  have  come  thus  by  myself;  yet  I  showed  no 
signs  of  fear,  and  looked  for  my  button.  I  did  not  find 
it,  but  as  soon  as  I  offered  a  dollar  reward,  it  was  given 
to  me  by  an  Arab.  While  returning  at  full  gallop,  and 
about  half-way  back,  I  met  Mr.  Rogers  coming  to  find 
me,  afraid  that  something  might  have  happened  to  me 
alone  among  these  people.    It  was  dark  when  we  reached 


THE   KILOMETER   AOTD   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  141 

our  boat,  and  Tom   and  Aline  had  commenced  din- 
ner. 

Friday,  February  21. 
We  started  at  ten  o'clock  for  Kournah,  a  temple 
north  of  Medinet-Abou,  which  was  commenced  by  Ra- 
meses  L,  king  of  the  XlXth  dynasty,  1460  b.c.  It  looks 
beautifully  from  afar,  surrounded  as  it  is  by  trees,  but 
loses  much  of  its  beauty  as  you  approach  it.  It  was 
rudely  built,  and  is  far  from  having  the  grandeur  of  Med- 
inet-Abou. Its  dimensions  are  small ;  three  doors  under 
a  vestibule  give  entrance  to  the  interior.  The  room  in 
the  centre  is  sixty  feet  in  depth,  and  the  roof  was  sup- 
ported by  six  columns,  but  the  interior  is  so  full  of 
stones  and  rubbish  that  we  could  hardly  pass  through 
it ;  the  sculptures  on  the  walls  and  the  hieroglyphics, 
however,  are  well  chiselled.  On  the  right  and  left  are 
three  small  chambers,  while  at  the  extremity  are  some 
others ;  but  the  degradation  of  the  edifice  is  such  that 
you  can  with  difficulty  distinguish  their  location.  A 
fine  view  presented  itself  from  the  top  of  the  temple 
which  faces  the  east.  To  the  south  was  Medinet-Abou ; 
the  figure  of  Memnon  and  its  companion  out  in  the 
plain ;  then  the  Palace  of  Rameses  II.,  with  his  over- 
thrown colossal  statue.  Behind  us  were  the  Lybian  hills, 
honey-combed  with  the  tQmbs  of  the  ancient  inhabit- 
ants; so  numerous  indeed,  that  it  would  consume 
weeks  to  visit  them  all.  Looking  to  .  the  east  over  the 
river  we  saw  the  ruins  of  Luxor,  and  farther  to  the 
North,  those  of  Karnak.  The  plains  between  the  river 
and  the  temple  were  covered  with  a  growth  of  green  and 


142  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

luxuriant  vegetation,  with  here  and  there  interspersed 
groves  of  palm  and  acacia- trees,  and  nearly  at  our  feet, 
a  short  distance  to  the  north-east,  were  several  sheiks' 
tombs. 

Three  hours  during  the  afternoon  were  employed  by 
the  gentlemen  in  visiting  the  tombs,  among  which  were 
those  of  Assasoef ;  but  the  odor  within  was  so  unplea- 
sant, owing  to  the  enormous  quantity  of  bats  with  which 
they  are  filled  ;  that  Aline  and  I  preferred  to  stay  in  the 
fresh  air.  As  we  were  taking  our  lunch  near  the  ruins 
of  the  temple  of  Dayr-el-Bahree,  we  met  the  Governor, 
whom  I  have  christened  "  Prince  Djalma,"  and  who 
had  come  there  to  sketch.  He  followed  us  to  the 
Ramesium,  where  Tom  went  to  take  a  view,  and  upon 
his  invitation  we  stopped  at  his  house,  which  was  on 
our  way  to  the  dahabeeh. 

We  first  entered  a  room  encircled  by  blue  satin  di- 
vans ;  several  etageres  were  filled  with  Egyptian  anti- 
quities, and  a  rich  Turkish  carpet  covered  the  floor.  A 
servant  soon  entered,  carrying  a  waiter  covered  with  an 
embroidered  velvet,  bordered  with  silver  fringe.  The 
master  of  the  house  removed  the  cloth,  which  had  con- 
cealed sherbet,  and  taking  a  tulle  napkin,  also  embroid- 
ered with  silver,  and  having  a  similar  fringe,  presented 
a  glass  to  Aline.  While  she  was  drinking  he  stood 
before  her,  napkin  in  hand,  and  when  she  had  finished, 
gave  her  the  napkin  to  wipe  her  mouth ;  then  coming 
to  me  he  did  the  same,  and  afterwards  to  the  gentlemen. 
A  few  minutes  later  the  servant  again  came  in  with 
little  cups  of  excellent  coffee,  each  one  in  a  silver  holder ; 
then,  chibouks  having  been  presented  to  the  gentlemen, 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  143 

Effendi  Djalma  invited  us  ladies  to  enter  his  wife's 
apartments.  She  is  as  handsome  a  woman  as  he  is  a 
man,  and  was  robed  in  a  magnificent  costume :  large 
and  flowing  purple  silk  brocade  drawers,  embroidered 
with  a  flower  in  gold,  and  a  similar  tunic  trimmed  with, 
little  tassels  of  gold,  and  over  it,  with  wide  sleeves,  a 
velvet  coat,  also  richly  embroidered  with  gold.  Her 
long,  lightly  undulating  hair  was  flowing  gracefully 
around  her  face,  and  plaited  behind  ;  a  little  toque  of 
purple  crape  was  fastened  on  the  side  by  a  diamond 
aigrette ;  her  ears  and  fingers  were  also  adorned  with 
diamonds.  Her  skin  was  not  very  dark,  and  she  had 
long,  soft,  languishing  eyes,  with  black  curved  eye-lashes, 
a  Grecian  nose,  a  little  mouth,  showing  such  teeth  as  are 
only  seen  here.  How  handsome  she  was !  and  we  found 
her  to  be  equally  graceful  and  amiable.  She  would  not 
sit  until  we  had  seated  ourselves,  and  only  took  her 
cigarette  after  Aline  had  smoked  it  a  moment,  and  pre- 
sented it  to  her.  "We  remained  with  her  an  hour,  speak- 
ing more  by  pantomime  than  otherwise,  as  our  Egyp- 
tian vocabulary  did  not  exceed  ten  words.  Her  joy  to 
see  Europeans  was  extreme.  She  wanted  to  have  us 
remain  to  dinner,  and  every  time  we  rose  to  take  leave 
would  make  us  sit  down  again.  No  other  man  than  her 
husband  ever  sees  her ;  she  never  goes  out  but  at  night, 
and  then  with  a  mask  on  her  face.  We  bade  her  adieu, 
after  having  promised  to  come  again ;  and  her  nurse, 
who  was  with  her  during  our  visit,  in  bidding  us  "  Good- 
clay"  and  "  Good-by,"  almost  knelt  down  in  kissing 
our  hands. 

After  our  return,  and  while  dining,  we  received  an 


144  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL. 

invitation  from  Mrs.  Potter  to  pass  the  evening  on  board 
the  Rachel,  which  we  accepted.  To-morrow  being  the 
22d  of  February,  we  intend  to  celebrate  it,  and  in  the 
evening  have  a  grand  illumination.  Among  others  we 
invited  Mrs.  Potter  ;  but  she  is  doubtful  if  she  will  be 
able  to  accept,  being  quite  anxious  to  leave.  The  fact 
is,  that  she  has  fallen  on  a  bad  dragoman,  and  since  her 
departure  from  Cairo  has  been  deprived  of  so  much 
comfort  that  she  is  tired  of  Nile  life.  We  have  now 
had  several  occasions  to  see  that  our  boat  is  the  best  pro- 
vided of  all  those  we  have  met  with,  and  it  is  a  satisfac- 
tion to  think  that,  if  we  have  paid  dearer  than  others, 
our  comforts  and  luxuries  are  proportionately  greater. 

Saturday,  February  22. 
At  seven  o'clock  Tom  was  on  deck,  firing  a  national 
salute.  The  weather,  as  usual,  is  fine  and  warm ;  just 
enough  breeze  to  cause  our  flags  and  banners  to  wave 
gracefully  in  the  air.  Aline  and  I,  feeling  fatigued,  re- 
mained at  home,  while  the  gentlemen  went  to  visit 
the  tombs  of  the  kings,  a  ride  of  some  two  hours  and  a 
half.  We  passed  our  time  in  writing,  and  in  the 
afternoon,  Mustapha  Aga  having  come  to  visit  us,  we 
invited  him  to  be  present  at  the  evening  reception. 
Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  returned  at  half-past  five,  very 
tired,  and  immediately  sent  invitations  to  the  Cleopa- 
tra, Rachel,  and  Fawn — the  latter  an  American  da- 
habeeh  which  had  arrived  in  the  morning,  having  on 
board  Mr.  Beadel  and  two  sons,  from  New  York, 
whom  we  had  already  met  at  Assouan.  In  the  after- 
noon Mohammed  had  anchored  the  boat  in  the  midst 


THE   OTLOHETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SODL.  145 

of  the  stream,  presenting  a  broadside  to  the  port,  and  at 
half-past  seven  the  illumination  was  completed,  jnst  as 
it  had  been  on  onr  first  visit  to  Thebes.  Messrs. 
Beadel  were  the  first  visitors,  then  Mustapha  Aga,  and 
while  waiting  for  the  other  guests,  we  went  with  Messrs. 
Beadel  in  the  yawl,  to  inspect  the  illumination.  Row- 
ing by  the  shore,  we  saw  a  little  boat  approaching,  and 
as  it  neared  fired  a  salute  of  thirteen  guns ;  it  was 
the  party  of  the  Cleopatra,  and  as  we  row  along  the 
river,  all  admired  the  beautiful  coup-oV  ceil  the  daha- 
beeh  presented.  A  few  minutes  after  we  re-entered 
our  saloon,  and  soon  Mrs.  Potter  and  her  two  daugh- 
ters made  their  appearance,  expressing  their  delight. 
Mrs.  Potter  remarked  that  she  had  heard  of  illumi- 
nations on  the  Nile,  but  had  no  idea  it  could  be  done 
thus.  "  You  want  to  revive  the  Arabian  nights,"  said 
she. 

The  celebration  of  Washington's  birthday  on  the  Ori- 
ental, I  am  sure,  will  be  remembered  in  after  years  by 
all  those  present,  for  never  was  a  more  agreeable  even- 
ing passed.  At  half-past  nine  tea  was  served,  and  the 
table  crowded  with  cakes,  canned  peaches,  pears,  mul- 
berries, and  several  kinds  of  French  confectionery.  At 
eleven,  champagne  was  offered ;  and  as  every  one  had 
their  glass  in  hand,  Mr.  Ferris  spoke  thus  : — 

"  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  —  Though  strangers  to  one 
another  a  few  days  ago,  we  have  met  in  this  grand  old 
land,  where  the  remembrance  of  our  common  country 
has  at  once  made  us  friends. 

"  Who  can  pass  through  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs, 
where  the  marvellous  ruins  of  a  long  past  age  and  evi- 

7 


146  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

dences  of  a  mighty  race  meet  him  at  every  turn,  and 
not  be  struck  with  awe  that  such  things  have  been, 
and  are  not !  This,  the  natal  day  of  our  great  hero,  is 
a  fitting  occasion  to  compare  the  past  of  Egypt  with 
the  future  of  the  great  Republic  of  the  Far  West.  The 
crisis  is  happily  past,  and  I  believe  our  destiny  to  be  as 
great,  if  not  greater,  than  ever  was  the  condition  here. 
Future  ages  will  see  great  temples  and  colossal  statues 
in  our  own  country,  and  all  the  world  doing  homage, 
as  once  did  all  the  world  to  this  now  dead  land. 

"  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  permit  me  to  give  you  as  a 
toast,  '  The  Prosperity  of  the  Great  Republic  and  the 
Memory  of  Washington.' " 

Then  each  one  drank,  and  an  impressive  silence  follow- 
ed, which  was  broken  by  Mr.  Smith,  the  antiquary,  who 
spoke  as  follows  : — "  Permit  me  to  make  a  few  observa- 
tions, ladies  and  gentlemen,  in  reference  to  the  remarks  of 
Mr.  Ferris.  In  some  of  the  ancient  hieroglyphical  writings 
of  the  Egyptians  is  written,  in  reference  to  death  and  a  fu- 
ture state :  '  Fear  not  to  die,  for  you  will  again  arise,  and 
live  in  a  great  land  in  the  West,  in  the  United  States.'' " 

At  midnight  all  was  dark  on  board.  We  had  met 
the  parties  of  the  Cleopatra  and  Rachel  perhaps  for  the 
last  time,  as  both  boats  left  before  morning. 

Sunday,  February  23. 
We  started  at  ten  o'clock  from  the  boat  for  Kar- 
nak,  following  a  handsome  road,  having  on  both  sides 
green  fields,  groves  of  palms,  and  acacias.  As  we  pro- 
ceeded, we  passed  through  an  avenue  of  broken  colossal 
statues  representing  rams,  of  which  I  counted  sixty,  still 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL.  147 

in  their  original  places.  This  avenue,  in  its  perfect 
condition,  over  a  mile  long,  consisted  of  six  hundred  of 
them  ;  some  holding  between  their  paws  a  small  statue 
of  the  king  Amenophis  III. 

At  its  extremity  is  the  most  beautiful  propylon  we 
have  yet  seen,  the  two  fronts  being  covered  with  sculp- 
tures and  hieroglyphics.  Its  height  is  about  one  hundred 
feet ;  the  width  of  the  entrance,  twenty  feet ;  the  thick- 
ness of  its  walls,  twelve  feet ;  and  the  depth,  thirty-five 
feet.  This  triumphal  arch  was  built  by  Ptolemy 
Evergetes,  247  years  b.c.  After  passing  beneath  it,  we 
found  ourselves  in  a  small  avenue,  having  on  our  right 
a  few  broken  sphinxes,  and  before  us  the  remains  of  a 
temple  commenced  under  Rameses  III.,  and  terminated 
by  Rameses  YIIL,  both  of  the  XXth  dynasty,  between 
1288  and  1200  b.c  Its  columns  are  low  and  massive, 
and  the  sculptures  and  hieroglyphics  on  the  walls  re- 
markably well  preserved. 

We  took  our  lunch  in  a  shady  niche  on  its  top,  hav- 
ing before  our  eyes  the  grand  Temple  of  Ivarnak,  and 
returned  to  the  boat  at  three  o'clock,  where  we  found 
Mustapha  Aga,  who  dined  with  us,  and  who  in  return 
invited  us  to  partake  at  his  house,  to-morrow  night,  of 
an  oriental  dinner. 

Saturday,  February  29. 

We  are  still  in  Thebes  since  the  23d,  and  have  been 
so  much  occupied  that  I  could  find  no  time  to  write 
until  to-day. 

Mustapha  Aga's  dinner  was  certainly  a  very  curious 
affair,  but  a  repetition  would  not  be  desirable.     His 


14:8  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

house  is  built  on  the  ruins  of  the  Temple  of  Luxor,  which 
we  have  not  }Tet  visited.  He  had  prepared  everything 
in  truly  Eastern  style;  and  a  green  arched  avenue, 
formed  of  palm-leaves,  through  which  we  passed,  was 
constructed  in  honor  of  our  visit.  The  room  which  we 
then  entered  was  arranged  with  elegant  carpets  and 
divans ;  on  the  wall  at  one  side  the  American  flag,  and 
opposite  the  English  one,  were  spread  for  the  occa- 
sion, as  Mustapha  was  expecting,  among  others,  four 
English  gentlemen  from  the  Alice,  wrecked  in  the  cata- 
ract ;  Lord  Ellesmere  and  friends.  When  the  news  of 
the  catastrophe  reached  Cairo,  the  Viceroy  gave  orders 
that  a  steamer  should  be  sent  for  them  and  placed  at 
their  disposal.  We  knew  that  they  were  descending  the 
river,  but  they  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  join  the  feast. 

Having  waited  half  an  hour,  which  time  we  occupied 
in  reading  the  names  in  the  visitors'  book,  several  gentle- 
men, two  French  and  two  English,  who  were  "doing" 
the  Nile  in  a  steamer  furnished  by  the  Viceroy,  made 
their  appearance:  Capt.  Harvey  W.  Hoare,  Henry 
Standish,  Henry  du  Rocher,  and  Henry  Baron  de 
Commailles. 

After  introductions  and  salutations  were  exchanged, 
Mustapha  invited  us  to  the  dining-room.  Servants  were 
in  attendance,  one  holding  an  empty  ewer,  another  warm 
water  to  wash  the  hands,  while  a  third  handed  a  napkin 
to  each  guest.  A  low  table  of  white  marble,  round,  and 
with  a  deep  border,  was  in  the  centre  of  the  room;  and 
as  many  cushions  as  there  were  guests  were  lying  on  the 
floor  about  it ;  with  a  tumbler,  a  spoon,  and  a  small 
loaf  of  bread  for  each.     We  sat  down  as  well  as  we 


THE   NELOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  149 

could  "a  la  Turque,"  and  commenced  with  the  soup, 
each  one  putting  his  spoon  into  the  general  tureen. 
Fortunately,  a  small  bowlful  was  placed  before  our  party 
of  four,  and  thus  we  did  not  feel  quite  as  much  dis- 
gusted as  we  would,  had.  we  been  obliged  to  join  the  rest. 

An  entire  lamb,  stuffed  with  rice,  came  next,  and 
was  delicious ;  but  the  manner  in  which  it  was  mani- 
pulated by  the  Governor,  who  with  his  hands  tore  it 
asunder,  took  much  of  our  appetite  away ;  while  Mlis- 
tapha,  dotng  the  honors,  handed  each  a  piece  with  his 
fingers.  It  seemed  so  strange  to  receive  that  greasy  bit 
of  meat  from  his  black  hand,  that,  for  a  moment,  each 
looked  at  the  other,  and  the  same  thought  came  to  all, 
"  Shall  we  eat  or  not? "  But  poor  Mustapha  had  given 
himself  so  much  trouble  that  we  felt  it  would  not  be 
right  to  disappoint  him,  and,  "  Faisant  contre  mauvaise 
fortune,  oon  cosier"  conquered  our  scruples,  and  laugh- 
ing more  than  eating,  enjoyed  ourselves  greatly. 

There  were  so  many  dishes  that  I  can  hardly  remem- 
ber them :  stewed  mutton  and  potatoes,  stewed  toma- 
toes, beans,  cauliflower,  macaroni,  peas,  a  Turkish  dish 
of  rice  rolled  in  little  vine-leaves,  a  large  turkey,  pud- 
ding, apricots,  oranges,  and  apples ;  while  three  kinds 
of  wine,  claret,  marsala,  and  champagne,  were  freely 
served.  This,  however,  was  an  innovation,  as  the  faith- 
ful never  indulge  in  intoxicating  drinks.  The  gentle- 
men present  were  gens  du  monde,  very  witty,  and 
helped  to  pass  the  time  most  agreeably. 

When  done  with  dinner,  the  ewer  and  warm  water 
were  again  offered,  and  having  washed  our  hands,  we 
entered  the  large  hall,  illuminated  with  red,  white,  and 


150  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

blue  lanterns,  sent  from  our  boat.  Mustapha,  for  our 
amusement,  had  prepared  an  entertainment,  which  was 
the  performance  of  the  Ghawassee,  or  dancing-girls. 

This  was  transporting  us  back  to  Ptolemaic  times, 
when  the  king  ordered  in  his  maids  to  do  honor  to  and 
confer  pleasure  on  his  guests.  Thus  had  we  often  seen 
it  delineated  on  the  temple  walls ;  the  customs  of  past 
ages  typified  in  their  peculiar  dance. 

Other  times,  other  manners !  That  which  might 
have  pleased  the  dames  of  the  courts  of  Itameses  and 
of  Ptolemy  was  rather  trying  to  our  sense  of  propriety. 
The  dance,  or  rather  posturing,  was  so  lascivious  that 
we  ladies  retired  early,  leaving  the  gentlemen  to  its 
enjoyment.  Zara,  the  youngest  and  prettiest  of  them, 
had  no  need  to  regret  the  occasion,  for  she  left  that 
night  with  her  head-dress  plentifully  bespangled  with 
little  golden  coins,  gifts  of  the  gentlemen  present. 

The  manners  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  notwithstand- 
ing that  thousands  of  years  must  have  elapsed  before 
they  could  have  attained  the  high  state  of  cultivation 
everywhere  apparent,  were  in  some  instances  of  the 
most  primitive  order.  Thus  we  find  it  rather  the  rule 
than  the  exception,  that  the  kings  married  their  own 
sisters,  and  the  queens  took  to  their  beds  and  thrones 
their  younger  brothers,  as  was  the  case  with  the  cele- 
brated Cleopatra. 

We  do  not  know  if  this  custom  generally  prevailed 
among  the  people.  It  might  have  been  that  it  was  con- 
fined to  royalty,  whose  members,  for  reasons  of  state, 
were  forced  to  adopt  this  method  of  concentrating  power 
in  the  royal  family ;  as  at  the  present  time  the  laws 


THE   KILOMETER   AND    THE    SACRED    SOIL.  151 

of  England  recognize  no  marriage  contracted  between 
royalty  and  a  commoner, — thus  hoping  to  avoid  a  repe- 
tition of  the  wars  of  the  Roses,  which  so  long  convulsed 
that  kingdom. 

Whether  or  not  this  condition  led  to  immorality  is 
best  answered  by  noting  the  career  of  the  Egyptian 
Queen,  who  by  her  blandishments  and  beauty  led  An- 
thony to  his  ruin.  The  man  who  had  revelled  in  the 
luxuries  and  dissipations  of  the  world's  capital  was  pow- 
erless to  resist  the  attacks  of  the  African  beauty ;  sacri- 
ficed supreme  power ;  fled  while  the  battle  was  raging 
which  had  for  its  stake  the  government  of  a  world  ;  di- 
rected the  sword-point  to  his  breast  at  the  false  alarm 
of  her  death,  rather  than  live  bereft  of  her  charms. 
This  siren,  who  afterwards  with  her  coquetry  held 
spell-bound  for  a  time  the  conqueror  of  Anthony  and  of 
Rome,  felt  no  shame,  nor  did  any  abridgment  of  power 
or  popularity  among  her  own  subjects  seem  to  have  fol- 
lowed, this  lascivious  life ;  but  when  her  influence  over 
Csesar  waned,  and  the  cold-blooded  politician  determin- 
ed that  she  should  grace  his  triumphal  entry  as  a  captive 
of  war,  the  abasement  was  unbearable. 

There  was  no  remorse  for  the  former  position  ;  but  the 
disgrace  of  the  latter  was  overpowering,  and  death  from 
the  sting  of  the  poisonous  asp  was  a  thousand  times 
preferable  to  such  terrible  degradation. 

Tuesday,  February  25. 
"We  spent  the  day  at  the  ruins  of  Karnak.     Karnak 
was  commenced  under  the  the  Xllth  Diospolite  dynasty, 
2810  years  B.C.,  by  Onsertasen,  who  began  the  sanctu- 


152  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

ary;  and  for  2800  years  the  kings  of  Egypt  did  not 
cease  to  work  for  the  preservation,  grandeur,  and  em- 
bellishment of  that  great  edifice,  which  was  the  national 
monument  and  pride  of  the  country. 

Upon  our  first  visit  we  were  disappointed.  That 
immense  field  of  ruins  was  not  what  we  had  expected  ; 
but  the  oftener  you  see  it  the  more  you  are  impressed 
with  its  grandeur  and  beauty.  The  great  hall,  contain- 
ing one  hundred  and  thirty-four  columns,  constructed 
by  Sethi,  the  father  of  Rameses  II.,  formed  a  part  of  the 
largest  of  all  the  Egyptian  temples ;  being  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  feet  in  width,  and  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  feet  in  depth.  Twelve  columns,  larger 
than  the  others,  form  the  main  avenue,  each  being  thirty 
two  feet  in  circumference,  and  all  are  covered  with 
sculpture. 

These,  with  an  obelisk  ninety  feet  high,  standing  near 
(nineteen  feet  taller  than  the  one  in  Paris),  and  covered 
with  hieroglyphics,  constitute  the  most  perfect  part  of 
these  stupendous  ruins.  We  have  been  four  times  to 
Karnak,  and  will  return  once  again  by  moonlight.  Tom, 
as  a  remembrance,  has  taken  several  views. 

Of  Karnak,  "Warburton  says  : — 

"  There  lay  Karnak ;  darkening  a  whole  horizon  with 
its  portals,  pyramids,  and  palaces.  We  passed  under  a 
noble  archway,  and  entered  along  avenue  of  sphinxes  ; 
all  their  heads  were  broken  off,  but  their  pedestals  re- 
mained unmoved  since  the  time  of  Joseph.  It  must 
have  been  a  noble  sight  in  the  palmy  days  of  Thebes — 
that  avenue  of  two  hundred  enormous  statues,  termi- 
nated by  that  temple.     Yet  this  was  only  one  of  many : 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  153 

at  least  seven  others,  with  similar  porticos  and  arch- 
ways, led  from  this  stupendous  edifice. 

"  We  rode  through  half  a  mile  of  sphinxes,  and  then 
arrived  at  the  temple,  the  splendor  of  which  no  words 
can  describe.  A  glorious  portal  opened  into  a  vast 
court,  crowded  with  a  perfect  forest  of  the  most  magni- 
ficent columns,  thirty-six  feet  in  circumference,  covered 
with  hieroglyphics,  and  surmounted  by  capitals,  all  of 
different  patterns,  and  richly  painted.  JSTo  two  persons 
agree  on  the  number  of  these  apparently  countless 
columns ;  some  make  it  amount  to  one  hundred  and 
thirty-four,  others  one  hundred  and  sixty ;  the  central 
measures  sixty-six  feet  in  height,  exclusive  of  the  pedes- 
tals and  abacus. 

"  Endless  it  would  be  to  enter  into  details  of  this  mar- 
vellous pile ;  suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  temple  is  about 
one  mile  and  three-quarters  in  circumference,  the  walls 
eighty  feet  high,  and  twenty-four  feet  thick. 

'•  With  astonishment,  and  almost  with  awe,  I  rode  on 
through  labyrinths  of  courts,  cloisters,  and  chambers ; 
and  only  dismounted  where  a  mass  of  masonry  had 
lately  fallen  in,  owing  to  its  pillars  having  been  re- 
moved to  build  the  Pacha's  powder  manufactory. 
Among  the  infinite  variety  of  objects  of  art  that  crowd 
this  temple,  the  obelisks  are  not  the  least  interesting. 
Those  who  have  only  seen  them  at  Rome,  or  Paris,  can 
form  no  conception  of  their  effect  where  all  around  is 
in  keeping  with  them.  The  eye  follows  upwards  the 
finely  tapering  shaft,  till  suddenly  it  seems  not  to  ter- 
minate, but  to  melt  away  and  lose  itself  in  the  dazzling 
sunshine  of  its  native  skies.     For   hours   I   wandered 


154  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

eagerly  and  anxiously  on,  through  apparently  inter- 
minable variety,  every  moment  encountering  something 
new,  unheard  of,  and  un thought  of  until  then.  The 
very  walls  of  the  outer  enclosures  were  deeply  sculptur- 
ed with  whole  histories  of  great  wars  and  triumphs,  by 
figures  that  seemed  to  live  again. 

"  In  some  places  these  walls  were  poured  down  like  an 
avalanche,  not  fallen  ;  no  mortar  had  ever  been  needed 
to  connect  the  cliff-like  masses  of  which  they  were  com- 
posed ;  at  this  hour  the  most  ignorant  mason  might  di- 
rect the  replacing  of  every  stone  where  it  once  towered, 
in  propylon  or  gateway,  so  accurately  was  each  fitted 
to  the  place  it  was  destined  to  occupy.  We  rested  for 
a  long  time  on  a  fallen  column,  under  a  beautiful  arch- 
way, that  commands  a  wide  view  of  the  temple,  and 
then  slowly  and  lingeringly  withdrew.  The  world  con- 
tains nothing  like  it. 

"  We  returned  to  Luxor  by  a  different,  yet  similar 
avenue  of  statues  to  that  by  which  we  had  approached. 
As  we  proceeded,  we  could  discover  other  pillars  and 
portals,  far  away  upon  the  horizon,  each  marking  where 
an  entrance  to  this  amazing  temple  once  existed. 

"  From  the  desert  or  the  river ;  from  within  or  from 
without;  by  sunshine  or  by  moonlight,  however  you 
contemplate  Karnak,  it  appears  the  very  aspect  in 
which  it  shows  to  most  advantage.  And  when  this 
was  all  perfect ;  when  its  avenues  opened  in  vistas  upon 
the  noble  temples  and  palaces  of  Sesostris,  upon  Gour- 
nou,  Medinet-Abou,  and  Luxor ;  when  its  courts  were 
paced  by  gorgeous  priestly  pageants,  and  busy  life 
swarmed  on  a  river  flowing  between  banks  of  palaces 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  155 

like  those  of  Venice  magnified  a  hundredfold ;  when  all 
this  was  in  its  prime,  no  wonder  that  its  fame  spread 
even  over  the  barbarian  world,  and  found  immortality 
in  Homer's  song. 

"  For  many  a  day  after  I  had  seen  it,  and  even  to  this 
hour,  glimpses  of  Thebes  mingle  with  my  reveries,  and 
blend  themselves  with  my  dreams ;  as  if  that  vision  had 
daguerrotyped  itself  upon  the  brain  and  left  its  impress 
there  forever ! " 

Every  evening  of  this  week  we  have  had  visitors; 
the  Trench  gentlemen,  as  well  as  Mr.  Standish,  and 
the  Messrs.  Beadel,  have  all  proved  very  agreeable 
acquaintances.  Baron  de  Commailles  and  Mr.  Stan- 
dish  expect  to  meet  us  in  Paris,  while  probably  the 
Beadel  party  will  join  us  in  our  travels  through  Syria 
and  Palestine.  Another  dahabeeh,  the  Lincoln,  ar- 
rived day  before  yesterday,  and  Messrs.  Ferris  and 
Rogers  called  on  the  occupants.  In  the  evening,  on 
board  the  Fawn,  two  American  gentlemen — General 
Starring  and  Mr.  Hall,  who  had  arrived  on  a  steamer 
during  the  afternoon — were  presented  to  us  by  Mr. 
Beadel.  Yesterday  morning  Tom  took  two  pictures 
of  Aline  and  myself,  mounted  on  camels ;  quite  an  ad- 
dition to  our  Egyptian  album. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

STILL    AT    THEBES — VALLEY    OP    BD3AN-EL-MOLOUK — TOMBS 

OF     THE     KINGS — PETELFIED    CLAMS GEEAT    SARCOPHA- 

GUS^-BELZONl's  TOMB HAEPEr's  TOMB THE  PHILOSO- 
PHER'S MISTAKE — KABNAK  BY  MOONLIGHT — TEMPLE  OF 
LUXOR DEPARTURE  FROM  THEBES DENDEEAH DANC- 
ING-GIRLS  OF   KENNEH. 

Sunday,  March  1,  1868. 
HE  weather  continued  so  warm  that  we  dared 
not  venture  out,  and  while  we  lounged  la- 
zily with  our  books,  Tom  braved  the  burning 
rajs  of  the  sun  and  took  two  views  of  the 
Temple  of  Luxor. 

The  port  does  not  look  as  animated  as  it  did  a  few 
days  past.  Our  French  acquaintances  are  now  on  their 
"vray  to  the  first  cataract;  while  the  Fawn,  with  the 
Messrs.  Bead  el,  left  this  morning  bound  down  for  Cairo. 
In  the  evening  Messrs.  Suydam  and  Stebbins,  both 
of  New  York,  from  the  dahabeeh  Lincoln,  called  on  us, 
and  soon  after  we  had  a  visit  of  General  Starring. 

Monday,  March  2. 
After  having  called  upon  the  ladies  on  board  the  Lin- 
coln, Aline  and  myself,  attended  by  two  servants,  took  a 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  157 

walk  through,  the  village  and  visited  a  new  hotel,  not 
yet  open  to  the  public,  pleasantly  situated  on  a  hill  in  a 
garden  belonging  to  Mustapha  Aga,  our  consul. 

In  the  evening  we  took  our  yawl  and  were  rowed  to 
General  Standing's  steamer,  where  we  found  a  social  gath- 
ering :  Mrs.  Clement  and  Miss  Rutter,  of  New  York ; 
Messrs.  Suydam  and  Stebbins,  from  the  Lincoln',  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  of  Philadelphia,  who  had  arrived 
in  the  Alexander  II  that  afternoon. 


Tuesday,  March  3, 

Has  passed  quietly  away.  A  visit  on  board  the  Alex- 
ander II,  where  we  met  our  friends  of  the  Lincoln, 
finished  the  day. 

Wednesday,  March  4. 

I  was  up  at  four  o'clock,  as  Mr.  Rogers  had  been  kind 
enough  to  offer  to  accompany  me  to  the  kings'  tombs  ; 
and  as  the  excursion  is  the  longest  one  around  Thebes, 
and  the  weather  hot,  we  thought  it  would  be  more 
pleasant  to  start  very  early ;  yet  it  was  not  till  half-past 
five  that  we  entered  our  yawl,  the  last  stars  having  just 
disappeared. 

We  found  our  donkeys  waiting  for  us,  and  the  weath- 
er being  calm  and  cool,  we  started  at  good  speed  for  the 
valley  of  Biban-el-Molouk.  Champollion  says  that  the 
name  of  this  valley  is  derived  from  the  Arabic,  and 
translated  into  English  means,  the  doors  of  the  kings ; 
whereas  it  is  a  corruption  of  the  ancient  Egyptian 
name,Biban  Ouroon,  which  means,  the  "Hypogees  of  the 


158  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

kings."  It  was  the  royal  necropolis,  and  it  seems  singu- 
lar that  they  choose  for  their  last  resting-place,  such 
an  arid  and  desolate  valley.  On  both  sides  are  high 
precipitous  rocks  and  hills,  having  frequent  slits  or  gor- 
ges, occasioned  either  by  the  external  action  of  the  ele- 
ments or  internal  fires ;  and  the  upper  crusts  are  mark- 
ed with  large  black  stripes,  as  if  they  had  been  in  part 
burned. 

So,  early  in  the  morning,  with  the  first  rays  of  the 
sun  tinting  the  hills,  it  was  a  glorious  scene  for  a  vivid 
imagination,  the  silence  being  only  occasionally  broken 
by  Mr.  Rogers  attracting  my  attention  to  some  parti- 
cular point.  Perhaps  three  or  four  thousand  years  ago 
that  valley  was  green  and  luxuriant,  the  hills  covered 
with  a  rich  vegetation  and  its  present  condition  pro- 
duced by  peculiar  atmospheric  changes.  In  their 
former  visit  Tom  and  Mr.  Rogers  found  a  large  petri- 
fied clam,  and  a  few  days  ago  General  Starring  showed 
me  some  smaller  ones,  also  found  in  that  neighbgr- 
hood.  How  came  they  there  ?  Has  the  mighty  sea  been 
once  the  mistress  of  this  part  of  earth  ? 

"We  arrived  at  our  destination,  having  encountered 
nothing  but  a  jackal  on  a  hill-side,  who,  after  quiet- 
ly gazing  at  us,  slowly  walked  away. 

We  visited  firstly  a  small  tomb,  known  or  designated 
as  No.  2,  remarkable  for  the  immense  red  granite  sarco- 
phagus which  has  for  thousands  of  years  remained  in 
this  its  original  situation.  It  is  eleven  feet  six  in- 
ches long,  by  seven  feet  wide,  upwards  of  nine  feet 
high,  and  broken  on  one  side.  The  cover  had  been  par- 
tially shoved   off,   so   that   I   was  enabled,  with  Mr. 


THE  KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  159 

Rogers'  assistance,  to  see  the  interior,  which  was  entirely 
empty ;  but  I  observed  upon  it  a  finely  sculptured  cro- 
codile. The  royal  mummy,  that  of  Rameses  IV.,  has 
long  since  been  taken  away. 

No.  17,  known  as  Belzoni's  tomb,  is  the  largest  and 
most  interesting  of  all.  I  had  been  misled  by  the  French 
guide-book,  which  states  that  this  is  the  tomb  of  the 
great  Rameses  or  Sesostris,  while  Wilkinson  and  Cham- 
pollion  agree  that  it  contained  the  body  of  King  Sethi 
or  Osirei,  who  was  the  father  of  Rameses  the  Great. 
This  tomb  is  remarkable  for  its  sculpture,  and  the  fresh- 
ness of  its  paintings,  executed  3300  years  ago. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  scenes,  sculptured  and 
painted,  is  in  a  square  room  supported  by  four  pillars, 
being  an  allegorical  representation  of  a  procession  of  the 
four  parts  of  the  world  assisting  at  the  funeral  of  Sethi: 
the  Egyptian  race  is  painted  red ;  the  northern  has  light 
skin,  blue  eyes,  and  long  beards ;  then  comes  the  black 
race,  the  negroes ;  and  then  the  people  of  the  East,  hav- 
ing also  long  beards,  white  skin,  and  the  Jewish  type  of 
countenance,  long  noses  and  black  hair,  dressed  in  flow- 
ing robes  very  richly  ornamented. 

In  a  similar  room  adjoining,  the  scenes  which  were 
to  adorn  the  walls  are  only  designed  in  black;  proba- 
bly the  king  had  died  before  they  could  be  completed. 
In  the  last  room,  larger  than  all  the  others,  and  sup- 
ported by  six  columns,  stood  formerly  an  oriental  ala- 
baster sarcophagus,  which  is  now  in  the  English  mu- 
seum. 

ISTo.  11,  known  as  the  Harper's  tomb,  which  we  then 
visited,  is  exceedingly  interesting  by  reason  of  the  sub- 


160  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

jects  represented  in  its  paintings ;  depicting  almost  all  the 
social  life  of  the  ancient  Egyptians.  This  was  the  tomb 
of  Eameses  III.,  chief  of  the  XXth  dynasty  (toward 
1260).  The  total  length  of  the  hypogee,  which  is  con- 
siderably less  than  that  of  Belzoni,  is  one  hundred  and 
twelve,  and  the  depth  about  thirty  feet.  We  inspected 
very  carefully  all  the  little  rooms  which  are  on  either 
side  of  the  two  passages.  In  some  you  see  the  prepara- 
tion of  aliments — men  killing  oxen,  others  cutting  them 
up;  others,  again,  baking  bread,  making  pastry,  and 
cooking  vegetables. 

In  some  rooms  you  see  boats  of  different  styles;  while 
in  others  are  represented  the  arms  and  instruments  of 
war  of  the  Egyptians,  which  in  that  time  were  cutlasses, 
straight  and  curved  swords,  poniards,  lances,  bpws,  ar- 
rows, quivers,  helmets,  javelins,  etc.  "We  saw  drawings 
of  chairs  and  beds  of  very  elegant  designs;  also  vases, 
basins,  leopard  -skins,  which  were  probably  used  as  car- 
pets; all  showing  how  refined  the  tastes  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians  must  have  been.  In  one  of  the  rocms  we 
saw  a  picture  of  the  Nile  overflowing,  and  taking  its 
course  through  several  channels ;  while  men  are  throw- 
ing seed,  and  others  again  harvesting  and  garnering  the 
grain. 

In  the  last  room  are  two  musicians  playing  on  the 
harp  before  the  goddess  Isis  ;  and  we  also  remarked  in 
one  of  the  halls  the  representation  of  the  four  races  of 
the  world.  The  paintings,  being  fresher  than  in  Bel- 
zoni's  tomb,  gave  us  a  more  correct  conception  of  what 
we  had  already  seen. 

There  are  many  more,  but  the  above,  with  that  of 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL.  161 

Memnon,  are  the  most  interesting,  and  give  you  a  per- 
fect idea  of  what  the  others  are.  Having  finished  the 
examination  of  the  most  important,  our  guide  spread 
the  cloth,  and  we  took  our  breakfast  at  the  entrance  of 
No.  11. 

From  one  of  these  tombs  the  mummy  was  taken  a 
few  years  since  by  a  distinguished  philosopher  and  an- 
tiquary, who  had  it  conveyed  to  England.  He  resolved 
that  old  Pharaoh  should  be  reintroduced  to  the  light 
of  day  with  all  due  honors,  and  invited  a  large  audience, 
consisting  of  the  most  distinguished  literati  of  the  times. 

A  learned  dissertation  was  delivered  on  the  grand 
occasion,  and  the  different  modes  of  embalming  adopted 
for  the  two  sexes  were  explained  as  he  unrolled  the  suc- 
cessive cloths. 

Expectation  was  wrought  to  the  highest  pitch  to  see 
how  the  "old  fellow"  would  strip.  Presto,  change, 
and  lo !  the  king  of  trumps  became  the  queen  of  spades ! 
"He"  had  been  a  woman. 

Going  back  by  the  Eamesium,  we  stopped  at  tomb 
ISTo.  35,  which  is  by  far  the  most  curious  of  all  the  pri- 
vate ones  in  Thebes,  since  it  throws  more  light  on  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  Egyptians ;  but  we  should 
have  seen  it  before  visiting  the  Harper's,  which  is  far 
superior  in  the  beauty  and  vividness  of  its  coloring. 

It  was  twelve  o'clock  when  we  regained  our  boat. 

In  the  evening  we  went  to  see  Karnak  by  moon- 
light, which,  illuminated  by  the  queen  of  night,  whose 
rays — playing  between  the  innumerable  columns  and 
majestic  obelisks — here  bringing  into  prominence  some 
jutting  cornice  or  capital,  there  hiding  in  the  dense 


162  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED   SOTL. 

shade   unseen   beauties,   produce   effects  rarely  to  be 
equalled. 

Soon  our  party  was  joined  by  Mrs.  Amory  and  Mr. 
Stebbins,  and  afterwards  by  the  Johnson  family.  At 
half-past  eight  we  were  on  our  return,  and  upon  reach- 
ing the  bank  found  our  dahabeeh  in  the  stream,  illumi- 
nated as  on  former  occasions.  The  deck,  in  the  after- 
noon, had  been  tastefully  arranged  by  Mohammed,  and 
astonished  all  our  visitors  by  its  luxurious  and  com- 
fortable appearance.  The  Lincolns,  the  Alexanders, 
and  the  Orientals  passed  the  remainder  of  the  even- 
ing pleasantly  together,  listening  to  each  other's  rela- 
tions of  their  experiences  during  their  various  excur- 
sions. Mr.  Stebbins  declared  that  the  high  wind,  during 
his  visit  to  Medinet-Abou,  the  day  previous,  had  so 
filled  his  eyes  with  sand  that  he  felt  an  inexpressible 
relief  when  again  on  board  his  dahabeeh,  and  able  to 
obtain  a  good  ablution.  He  affirmed,  in  all  seriousness, 
that  he  washed  a  scarabee  out  of  one  eye,  while  from 
the  other  he  extracted  a  small  crocodile.  Whether  true 
or  not,  we  could,  one  and  all,  appreciate  his  vivid  de- 
scription, having  equally  suffered  with  him  the  incon- 
venience caused  by  the  high  winds,  which  carries  through 
the  air  the  impalpable  sand  from  the  desert. 

Thursday,  March  5. 

After  breakfast  we  called  on  Mr.  Smith,  inspected  his 
collection  of  antiquities,  and,  leaving  the  gentlemen 
with  him,  went  to  bid  the  Consul  Mustapha  Aga  adieu, 
who  introduced  us  to  his  wife  and  daughter.  Our 
afternoon  was  passed  quietly  on  board,  reading,  sleep- 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  163 

ing,  and  writing,  until  five  o'clock,  at  which,  hour  we 
were  joined  by  Mr.  Smith,  whom  we  had  invited  to  dine 
with  us.  This  gentleman  is  from  New  York,  has  been 
living  here  the  past  ten  years,  is  a  man  of  good  educa- 
tion, has  a  vast  knowledge  of  the  country;  and  after 
dinner  we  went  with  him  to  visit  the  Temple  of  Luxor. 

We  could  but  partially  inspect  it,  and  even  then  only 
in  detail,  on  account  of  the  village  built  on  an  artificial 
mound,  formed  of  rubbish  of  the  ancient  city ;  and 
though  the  ruins  of  the  temple  predominate,  their  in- 
ferior parts  are  half  buried  amid  mud  and  brick  habi- 
tations. 

But  we  were  much  pleased  with  the  coup-d'ceil  we 
had  before  us.  The  moon  was  fuller  and  clearer  than 
on  the  preceding  night,  and  silvered  brightly  the  long 
colonnade  of  the  temple.  This  was  the  work  of  two 
illustrious  and  powerful  princes,  Amenophis  III.  of  the 
XYIIIth  dynasty,  and  Ehanises  II.  or  Sesostris  the 
Great  of  the  XlXth  dynasty.  Amenophis,  in  1290  B.C., 
had  the  sanctuary  and  the  principal  part  of  the  tem- 
ple erected ;  and  one  hundred  and  seventy  years  later 
Bhamses  added  to  it  the  pylones  on  the  north,  and  also 
erected  in  front  of  them  two  beautiful  obelisks,  of  which 
only  one  remains ;  the  other  having  been  taken  to  Paris. 

A  little  behind  the  obelisks  are  two  statues  of  red 
granite  of  Syene,  each  cut  from  a  single  block,  which 
are  now,  except  the  head  and  bust,  buried  in  the 
ground,  while  the  parts  exposed  are  much  mutilated. 
This  is  all  we  saw  of  the  temple  of  Luxor — enough,  how- 
ever, to  keep  in  our  memory  a  grand  idea  of  its  past 
magnificence. 


164  THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

TTe  returned  to  the  vessel,  and  soon  after  received 
the  final  visit  of  Mustapha  Aga,  who  bad  come  to  wish 
us  "  Good -by."  At  half-past  eight,  our  boat  being 
illuminated,  we  rowed  into  the  stream  and  commenced 
floating  down  the  river,  the  men  singing  and  playing  on 
their  drums  and  tambourines,  while  Tom  and  Abousaid 
fired  a  partiug  salute  of  sixty  guns. 

The  night  was  calm  and  beautiful,  not  a  breath  of 
air,  and  thus  the  lights  were  reflected  in  the  pure  and 
limpid  water.  Our  guns  were  answered  by  all  the  da- 
habeehs  and  steamers  in  port,  and  not  only  answered 
but  repeated  again  and  again,  until  we  slowly  turned 
the  first  point  of  the  river  ;  while  the  occasional  boom 
from  the  consul's  cannon  awoke  the  echoes,  which  my 
imagination  readily  converted  into  the  voices  of  the 
spirits  of  the  old  kings. 

This  illumination,  while  leaving  Thebes,  was  an  idea 
of  Tom's,  which  could  not  have  taken  place  had  it  been 
at  all  windy ;  but  as  it  happened,  the  effect  produced 
was  extraordinary  and  magnificent.  And  our  men — 
how  well  I  remember  the  happy  smiles  illuminating 
their  dusky  countenances — manifesting  hope  and  eager- 
ness to  reach  Cairo  again,  for  two  months  and  a  half 
have  elapsed  since  they  parted  with  families  and  friends. 

Shouting  and  singing,  they  get  still  more  excited  by 
Mohammed  keeping  the  measure  with  his  head,  hands, 
and  feet.  And  now  Thebes  is  almost  out  of  sight ;  a 
few  minutes  more,  and — all  is  a  vision  of  the  past. 

Friday,  March  6. 
We  had  been  compelled   to  stop  in  the  night,  the 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SODL.  165 

wind  blowing  strongly  against  ns,  and  this  morning  early 
were  again  under  way  ;  but  at  about  nine  o'clock  it  in- 
creased to  such  violence,  and  the  boat  rolled  so  unplea- 
santly that  Aline,  Mr.  Rogers,  and  I  were  obliged  to 
lie  down.  It  was  the  first  time  we  had  encountered 
such  weather  on  the  Nile.  Mohammed  moored  to  the 
shore  at  noon,  to  let  us  take  our  lunch  quietly,  and  at 
one  the  men  attempted  rowing  again,  but  they  found  it 
impossible  to  make  headway.  We  stopped,  therefore, 
all  the  afternoon  at  El  Bales,  a  very  pretty  spot,  with 
handsome  gardens,  having  groves  of  lemon-trees  in  full 
blossom,  cedars,  acacias,  and  palm-trees. 

Aline,  Mr.  Rogers,  and  myself  sat  down  under  the 
shade  of  the  lemon-trees,  while  Tom  amused  himself 
gunning.  At  six  o'clock,  the  wind  having  in  great  part 
died  out,  we  got  under  way  and  arrived  at  Kenneh,  on 
the  Denderah  side,  at  midnight. 

Saturday,  March  7. 

At  nine  o'clock  we  started  for  Denderah,  which,  a  few 
years  ago,  was  almost  buried  in  the  sand.  This  temple 
dates  from  the  last  of  the  Ptolemies,  and  was  only  fin- 
ished under  Kero.  We  thought  the  portico  beautiful, 
although  the  sculptures  and  hieroglyphics  are  considered 
inferior  to  those  of  other  temples.  It  has  twenty-four 
columns,  and  the  chapiters  are  handsomer  than  any  we 
had  yet  seen  ;  for,  instead  of  the  lotus  flower,  on  each  of 
its  four  sides  were  represented  faces  of  Egyptian  women  ; 
alas  !  all  mutilated  with  one  or  two  exceptions. 

The  interior  of  the  temple  is  in  a  very  good  state  of 
preservation.     To  the  portico  succeed  three  rooms  of 


166  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

unequal  size,  the  first  only  with  columns ;  the  two  others 
having  lateral  chambers.  We  afterward  visited  the. 
building  north  of  the  great  temple,  known  by  the 
name  of  Typhonium  ;  also  the  little  temple  of  Isis,  be- 
hind the  grand  temple. 

We  took  our  lunch  in  the  handsome  portico,  and,  hav- 
ing remained  several  hours,  returned  to  our  boat  at  four 
o'clock.  Soon  after  the  Alexander  II.  arrived,  and 
moored  beside  us  ;  Mr.  Johnson  paid  us  a  visit,  and 
then  started  with  his  party  for  Denderah. 

In  the  evening  the  gentlemen,  duly  armed  with  a  bot- 
tle of  champagne,  and  provided  with  candles,  which  Mo- 
hammed said  was  quite  necessary,  the  former  to  impart 
vigor  to  the  animals,  and  the  latter  to  add  brilliancy  to 
the  scene,  went  to  Kenneh  to  see  the  dancing-girls, 
which  are  here  reported  to  be  the  finest  in  Egypt;  while 
we  ladies  remained  at  home  and  received  a  visit  from 
Mrs.  Johnson,  her  son,  and  two  daughters. 

Sunday,  March  8. 

Both  boats  left  Kenneh  last  evening  at  10  o'clock. 
We  have   floated   all   day  together,  and  passed  an 
agreeable  evening  on  the  Alexander. 

Monday,  March  9. 

Mohammed  is  decidedly  unfortunate  with  the  wind, 
and  certainly  will  not  be  back  in  Cairo  within  his  con- 
tract time.  This  morning  at  half-past  eight  we  were 
again  obliged  to  tie  up,  and  still  the  boat  rolled  so 
much  that  as  soon  as  we  had  finished  breakfast  we 
went  ashore ;  but  the  wind  blew  so  violently,  and  the 


THE   NILOMETEB   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  167 

dust  was  so  unpleasant,  that  we  were  glad  to  regain  our 
dahabeeh.  The  Alexander  was  moored  a  short  dis- 
tance from,  us ;  both  boats  remained  thus  all  day,  and 
only  commenced  to  move  at  sunset,  at  which  time  the 
wind  died  out,  and  we  arrived  in  Bellianeh  at  nine 
o'clock  P.M. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ABYDOS — THE  CLIFFS  OF  GEBEL*-SHEICK-HEEEDEE — ORANGE 

AND  LEMON  GROVES — A  LONG  PULL SIOUT — STABL-ANTAR 

AMERICAN  CONSUL GEBEL-ABOOFAYDA EIIODA THE 

PALACE TOMBS   OF    BENI-HASSAN MINIEH— DEPARTURE 

OF      MR.     E. BENESOEF FLOATING    DOWN AGROUND 

MEMPHIS TOMBS  OF  THE  APPIS — SEEAPIUM. 

Tuesday,  March  10,  1868. 
E  were  surprised  this  morning  to  learn  that 
the  Alexander  had  left  at  midnight,  as  Mr. 
Johnson  had  manifested  a  great  desire  to  see 
the  temple  of  Abydos,  which,  he  stated,  was 
described  as  handsomer  than  that  of  Denderah ;  but 
Mohammed  said  that  his  dragoman  told  him  he  could 
not  get  donkeys. 

At  half-past  eight  we  started  for  Abydos,  two  hours' 
distance  from  Bellanieh,  and  enjoyed  a  refreshing  ride 
through  a  richly  cultivated  country,  covered  with  groves 
of  acacias  and  palm-trees,  and  the  Lybian  chain  forming 
a  picturesque  background. 

The  ruins  of  Abydos  are  of  considerable  antiquity, 

dating  from  the  time  of  Sethi,  or  Osirei  I.,  and  his  son 

the  great  Rameses.     They  consist  of  two  large  edifices ; 

the  palace  of  Memnon,  and  the  famous  temple  of  Osiris, 

*  Gebel — Arabic  for  hill. 


THE   KLLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  169 

who,  it  is  said,  is  buried  here.  We  only  visited  the  Mem- 
nonium,  which,  from  its  peculiar  construction,  is  parti- 
cularly interesting,  and  consists  of  two  halls,  supported 
by  columns,  communicating  with  each  other  by  a  door 
at  one  end  of  each  of  its  avenues  or  colonnades,  while  in 
the  centre  are  several  vaulted  rooms  covered  with 
hieroglyphics,  and  sculptures  beautifully  colored ;  but 
the  columns  are  low  and  roughly  done,  having  none  of 
the  grandeur  of  those  in  the  portico  at  Denderah. 

Several  staircases  lead  to  the  top  of  the  building,  and 
although  from  here  the  temple  does  not  appear  to  ad- 
vantage, yet  you  can  see  what  an  immense  work  it 
must  have  been  to  disengage  it  of  its  mantle  of  earth, 
by  the  enormous  mounds  of  rubbish  piled  on  every  side. 

As  we  were  taking  lunch,  we  were  surprised  by  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Johnson  and  his  children.  As  Mohammed 
had  told  us,  they  could  not  find  donkeys  at  Bellanieh, 
and  had  to  go  to  Girgeh,  which  is  a  ride  of  three  hours 
and  a  half  from  Abydos.  We  were  back  on  our  boat  at 
half-past  four,  very  tired,  and  under  way  at  five. 


"Wednesday,  March  11. 

We  overtook  the  Alexander  during  the  night ;  both 
boats  remained  together  all  day,  and  in  the  evening  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Johnson  came  to  play  cards  with  us,  and  only 
retired  at  half-past  ten. 


Thursday,  March  12. 

The  weather  was  so  delightful  this  morning,  and  the 
scenery  so  grand,  that  Tom  had  the  dahabeeh  moored 

8 


170  THE   NECOMETER   A2Q)    THE    SACKED   SOEC. 

to  tlie  shore,  under  the  cliff  of  Gebel-Sheick-Heredee, 
Trhere  he  took  a  view. 

"FTiiile  Aline  remained  seated  beneath  the  shade  of 
some  palms.  Mr.  Rogers  and  I  inspected  the  locality, 
and  visited  a  few  sheiks'  tombs.  Wie  tarried  here  the 
greater  part  of  the  day,  only  leaving  at  snnset. 

Feidat,  ilarch  13. 

I  was  quite  surprised  this  morning  to  see  the  Alexan- 
der abreast  of  ns :  but  heard  afterwards  that  she  had 
been  aground,  and  just  as  she  was  again  afloat  we  had 
arrived,  only  to  get  aground  also.  They  sent  ten  of 
their  men  to  help  our  crew,  and  after  four  hours  of  hard 
labor  succeeded  in  freeing  us. 

"We  have  floated  all  day  together,  and  are  nearing 
Siout.  The  shores  looked  so  screen  and  inviting  that 
Tom  proposed  to  take  a  walk,  which  proposition  was 
acceded  to  by  all  the  party.  Taking  the  yawl,  with  two 
stout  rowers,  and  leaving  the  dahabeeh  to  float  down 
stream,  we  were  soon  roaming  through  a  garden  full  of 
orange  and  lemon  trees. 

As  we  were  thinking  of  regaining  the  dahabeeh,  the 
sun  being  very  hot,  Tom,  who  had  remained  behind, 
called  us  back,  and  led  us  to  a  green  and  fresh  oasis 
which  he  had  just  discovered.  It  was  a  delicious  spot, 
a  truly  Egyptian  paradise,  with  a  rich  carpet  of  ver- 
dure for  the  feet,  and  luxuriant  groves  of  palms,  aca- 
cias, and  lemon-trees  in  blossom  ;  while  the  whispering 
breezes  rustling  through  the  foliage  was  sweet  music  to 
the  ear,  and.  lulled  by  its  harmony  as  we  lay  on  the 
grass,  we  soon  fell  asleep. 


THE    XTL0METE2    AXD    THE    SACRED    SOLL.  171 

At  half-past  fonr  we  awoke  ;  the  dahabeeh  was  miles 
away  from  us  ;  a  long  pull  was  before  us ;  but  our  men 
with  strong  arms  and  willing  hearts,  soon  sped  the  war, 
and  we  regained  the  boat  just  before  she  arrived  at 
Siont. 

After  dinner  we  went  to  spend  the  evening  with  the 
Alexanders^  and  were  surprised  to  hear,  that  after  a 
short  ride  through  the  bazars,  they  were  going  to  leave 
as  soon  as  the  moon  should  rise.  Siout  is  the  third  city 
in  Egypt,  and  although  we  had  stopped  twenty-four  hours 
on  our  previous  visit,  we  now  intend  to  remain  long 
enough  to  see  it  more  in  detail.  ~We  parted  with  the 
Johnsons  this  evening,  and  probably  will  not  see  them 
again  until  our  arrival  at  Cairo. 


Saturday,  March  14. 

After  breakfast  we  received  a  visit  from  the  Ameri- 
can consul,  a  very  intelligent  and  agreeable  Egyptian, 
who  brought  us  letters. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  mounted  our  donkeys,  and  a  de- 
lightful ride  of  forty  minutes  through  the  picturesque 
city  of  Siout,  and  a  richly  cultivated  country,  brought 
us  to  the  foot  of  the  Libyan  hills,  where,  a  short  distance 
above,  is  the  grotto  of  Stabl-Antar,  an  ancient  tomb  cut 
in  the  solid  rock. 

Arab  traditionary  legend  affirms  that  it  was  the  stable 
of  a  renowned  hero  named  Antar,  whose  extraordinary 
exploits  are  related  in  Egyptian  lore,  occupying  the  space 
of  three  volumes.  Here  we  had  a  view  seldom  surpas- 
sed in  loveliness  in  Europe  or  America  ;  and  while  Tom 


172  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL. 

and  Mr.  Rogers  went  to  examine  various  tombs,  which 
are  in  great  numbers  on  this  side  of  the  hill,  Aline  and  I 
remained  for  more  than  two  hours  admiring  it. 

On  our  return  we  stopped  at  the  consul's,  who  lives 
in  a  fine  house,  elegantly  furnished — better  certainly 
than  some  of  the  vice-royal  residences  that  we  have  vis- 
ited. He  received  us  most  courteously,  and  introduced 
us  to  his  two  sons  and  a  nephew,  who  are  well  educated 
and  dress  in  European  style ;  the  eldest  speaking  French 
and  the  two  others  English.  Having  conversed  for 
some  time,  inspected  the  visitors'  book  which  he  keeps, 
and  partaken  of  refreshment,  we  left ;  each  one  taking 
an  Egyptian  fly-brush,  with  which  we  had  been  pre- 
sented. 

In  the  afternoon  these  gentlemen  and  the  governor 
of  the  place  called  on  us,  and  two  hours  were  passed 
with  them  most  agreeably.  At  five  o'clock  Aline,  Mr. 
Rogers,  and  myself  took  a  walk  in  the  pacha's  garden, 
and  along  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  admiring  on  our  return 
a  golden  sunset.  , 

Sunday,  March  15. 

This  morning  early  we  moored  before  the  cliffs  of 
Gebel-Aboofayda,  of  which  Tom  took  a  splendid  view. 
"We  left  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  floated  slowly  down  the 
shining  river,  while  the  thermometer  marked  eighty- 
five  degrees  in  the  shade. 

At  three  o'clock  we  got  aground,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  efforts  of  the  crew,  three  hours  passed  before 
we  were  afloat  again,  and  then  had  to  be  very  careful, 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  173 

the  river  being  shallow  at  this  part,  and  for  better  se- 
curity stopped  at  midnight,  arriving  at  Rhoda  at  seven 
o'clock  on  the  following  morning. 

Monday,  March.  16. 

Bhoda  is  a  delightful  place,  of  which  I  gave  a  descrip- 
tion two  months  ago,  when  we  passed  it  going  up  the 
river. 

This  morning  we  visited  the  palace  that  the  Yiceroy 
has  built  here,  and  which  is  entirely  finished,  though 
not  yet  furnished.  It  is  a  splendid  habitation,  the 
apartments  large  and  spacious,  some  beautifully  ar- 
ranged in  Oriental  style;  a  marble  fountain  in  the 
centre  of  the  room  throwing  jets  of  sparkling  perfumed 
water,  cooling  and  purifying  the  atmosphere;  whilst 
divans  ranged  around  the  walls  invite  to  revery  and 
repose.  On  every  side  of  the  house  are  marble  bal- 
conies with  balustrades,  having  views  of  different  parts 
of  the  river  and  the  garden,  the  latter  being  full  of 
flowers  and  tropical  plants. 

Tom  took  a  very  good  view  of  it,  and  also  of  Ehoda 
from  another  point.  We  left  about  noon,  and  arrived 
in  Beni-Hassan  at  eight  at  night. 

Tuesday,  March  17. 

As  we  were  getting  ready  this  morning  to  visit  the 
tombs,  the  American  dahabeeh  Lincoln,  which  we 
had  left  at  Thebes,  arrived  and  moored  near  us ;  and 
as  we  were  leaving  our  boat  we  met  their  party,  and 
all  proceeded  together. 

We  regretted  that  we  had  not  stopped  at  Beni-Hassan 


174:  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

on  the  ascent,  for  then  we  probably  would  have  found  the 
tombs  more  interesting  ;  but  having  seen  the  grand  ones 
of  the  kings  in  Biban-el-Molouk,  and  others  up  the 
river,  these  appear  very  inferior.  Yet  they  are  remark- 
able on  account  of  their  antiquity,  dating  from  the 
time  of  Ositasen  I.,  and  the  condition  of  the  paint- 
ings on  the  wall,  which  are  very  fresh  and  distinct. 
Processions,  wrestling,  music,  fishing,  boating,  glass- 
blowers,  sculptors,  goldsmiths,  farming,  and  hunting 
are  among  the  various  scenes  depicted. 

In  one  of  the  northerly  tombs  I  observed  upon  the 
wall  a  picture  of  a  dahabeeh  transporting  a  mummy, 
and  at  once  you  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  ancient 
city,  of  whose  dead  these  caverns  were  the  bnrial-places, 
was  situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  although 
not  a  vestige  remains  at  any  point  in  the  vicinity  to 
mark  its  site.  This,  however,  is  easily  accounted  for, 
when  we  remember  that  the  Nile  is  constantly  chang- 
ing its  course;  and  the  accumulated  soil  of  one  age 
is  carried  away  in  the  next,  and  probably  all  that  is 
left  of  ancient  Nus  is  buried  thirty  feet  below  the  pres- 
ent level. 

We  left  Beni-Hassan  at  half-past  two  p.m.,  and  arrived 
in  Minieh  at  half-past  eight.  "We  passed  the  evening 
playing  cards,  and  at  ten  o'clock  separated  for  the  night, 
bidding  good-by  to  Mr.  Rogers,  who  will  start  to-mor- 
row morning  at  five  o'clock,  by  rail,  for  Cairo,  from 
which  place  he  intends  going  to  Suez,  to  visit  the  canal, 
and  to  rejoin  us,  upon  our  arrival  at  Cairo,  for  the  tour 
through  Syria  and  Palestine. 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  175 

Wednesday,  March  18. 

As  Minieh  does  not  offer  anything  worthy  of  notice 
we  left  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  continued  floating  all  day 
and  night. 

Thursday,  March  19. 

Head-wind,  and  the  boat  making  slow  progress  down 
the  river.  Tom,  observing  an  old  broken  wall  and 
Roman  ruin  on  the  bank,  ordered  the  boat  to  be  tied 
up,  and,  while  I  was  busy  sketching,  took  a  very  good 
photographic  view  of  it.  After  stopping  here  five  hours 
and  a  half,  we  got  under  way  and  continued  our  course 
down  the  river. 

Friday,  March  20. 

Came  to  anchor  early  this  morning,  on  account  of 
heavy  head-wind,  and  upon  rising  found  that  we  had 
overhauled  the  Lincoln .,  which  had  continued  sailing 
the  night  we  stopped  at  Minieh,  and  a  French  boat  we 
had  left  at  Thebes,  which  had  passed  down  the  river 
in  tow  of  a  steamer  while  we  were  tied  up  at  Beni-Hassan. 
We  got  under  way  about  nine  a.m.,  and  at  eleven 
observed  a  shower  to  the  westward  over  the  desert.  It 
gradually  approached,  the  wind  soon  changed,  and  we 
had  lightning  and  thunder,  but  scarcely  enough  rain  to 
sprinkle  the  decks.  However,  it  was  a  novelty,  as  being 
the  only  rain  we  have  had  for  nearly  three  months. 

"While  the  clouds  obscured  the  sun,  Tom  ordered  the 
boat  to  stop,  that  he  might  take  a  view  of  our  deck,  and 
one  hour  after  we  were  under  way  again,  and  arrived  at 


176  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

four  p.m.  at  Benesoef,  a  large  modern  town,  but  unin- 
teresting to  the  voyager. 

Saturday,  March  21. 

Yesterday,  after  the  shower,  and  during  the  even- 
ing, we  found  it  exceedingly  warm,  but  this  morn- 
ing the  weather  is  cloudy  and  cool.  As  we  ap- 
proached a  village  called  Zowyah,  the  trees  and  palm 
groves  looked  so  inviting,  and  there  being  a  strong 
head-wind,  causing  much  motion  of  the  boat  and 
Aline  and  myself  a  sensation  of  sea-sickness,  that  Tom 
ordered  the  small  boat,  and  we  went  on  shore. 

After  walking  through  the  village,  and  a  short  dis- 
tance beyond,  we  stopped  at  a  place  protected  by  shade- 
trees  ;  and  while  Aline  amused  herself  sewing,  I  took  a 
sketch,  and  Tom  a  fusin,  employing  thus  the  greatest 
part  of  the  day. 

At  one  p.  m.  the  boat  had  arrived,  and  tied  up  oppo- 
site to  us,  and  as  the  wind  continued  blowing  very  strong 
we  remained  here  until  morning. 

Sunday,  March  22. 

At  three  a.m.  the  wind  lulled ;  we  got  under  way ; 
and  when  we  arose  saw,  a  long  distance  ahead,  the 
French  boat,  and  another  which  we  at  the  time 
took  for  the  Lincoln*  but  as  we  gained  upon  her 
discovered  her  to  be  the  Alexander  II,  that  we  had 
supposed  already  at  Cairo. 

The  wind  again  rose,  and  both  boats  having  been 
compelled  to  tie  up,  we  went  ashore,  and,  after  a  walk 
of  about  a  mile,  came  to  the  Alexander.     We  accepted 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  177 

Mr.  Johnson's  invitation  to  come  on  board,  and  soon 
after  the  boats  again  got  under  way.  We  remained 
until  five  p.m.,  when  Mohammed  sent  the  yawl,  and 
we  returned  to  the  Oriental  for  dinner. 

Monday,  March  23. 

Continued  floating  and  rowing  during  the  night 
until  two  a.m.,  when  we  were  awoke  by  a  grating 
noise,  and  then  a  jerk.  We  were  hard  and  fast  on  a 
sand-bank. 

Our  sailors  jumped  into  the  water,  pushed  and  yelled, 
but  all  to  no  purpose,  as  mother  Earth  held  us  with  a 
firm  grip.  After  one  hour's  hard  labor  they  gave  it 
up  and  took  some  sleep.  At  daylight  they  were  again 
at  work,  and  at  seven  the  Alexander,  that  had  anchored 
above  during  the  night  on  account  of  shallow  water, 
passed  us  on  her  way  to  Bedryshayn,  the  stopping- 
place  for  Memphis.  Her  little  boat  was  pushed  off,  and 
soon  came  alongside  with  five  men  to  assist  our  crew. 
It  was  no  easy  job ;  and  with  all  the  men's  united 
strength,  two  hours  passed  before  we  were  afloat  again, 
and  we  only  moored  near  Memphis  in  the  afternoon. 

As  it  was  too  late  that  day  to  visit  the  ruins,  we  re- 
mained at  "home,"  and  in  the  evening  received  the 
parting  visit  of  Mr.  Johnson,  who  is  exceedingly  well 
pleased  with  the  tombs  of  the  Appis.  They  left  at  eight 
o'clock  for  Gizeh,  as'  they  intend  to  visit  the  pyramids 
to-morrow. 

Tuesday,  March  24. 

Memphis  !    This  our  last  visit  to  temples  and  tombs 

8* 


178  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SODL. 

has  proved  one  of  the  most  interesting,  and  we  have  re- 
turned delighted  with  what  we  have  seen. 

The  weather  was  warm,  windy,  and  oppressive ;  but 
the  forest  which  covers  what  once  was  Memphis  is  dark 
with  thick  foliage,  the  road  smooth,  and  the  luxuriant 
grass  (a  very  rare  thing  in  Egypt)  covered  with  flowers 
— descendants  probably  of  those  which  grew  in  the  gar- 
dens where  Moses  wandered  with  Pharaoh's  daughter. 
We  had  ridden  a  mile  when  Tom  perceived  he  had 
forgotten  his  photographic  instrument,  and  while,  with 
his  servant,  he  went  back  to  the  boat,  we  pursued  our 
route  until  we  arrived  at  the  fallen  statue  of  Barneses 
the  Great,  which  lies  near  the  site  of  the  temple  of  Vul- 
can, of  which  we  could  yet  find  some  traces. 

This  statue,  whose  height,  without  the  pedestal,  is 
forty-two  feet,  has  a  beautiful  face  perfectly  preserved. 
From  his  neck  is  suspended  an  amulet,  in  which  is  the 
royal  prenomen.  In  the  centre  and  at  the  side  of  his 
girdle  is  his  name:  Amun-men-Rameses.  At  his  side 
are  some  remains  of  the  statue  of  his  daughter;  her 
shoulder  reaching  a  little  above  the  level  of  his  knee. 
We  sat  down  on  grass-covered  mounds,  which  must 
conceal  some  parts  of  the  temple,  and,  while  waiting  for 
Tom,  fell  into  a  fit  of  musing.  Our  thoughts  carried  us 
back  five  thousand  years  ago,  when  Memphis,  as 
Thebes,  was  in  the  prime  of  all  its  glory ;  and  as  a  cli- 
max to  my  philosophical  reflection,  I  arose,  went  near 
the  great  Sesostris,  and  kneeling  down,  took  out  of  his 
ear  some  running  vines  for  the  collection  in  my  album. 

A  great  many  antiquities  were  shown  us,  remains  of 
other  statues,  but  to  me  they  were  uninteresting  com- 


THE    KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACEED    SOIL.  179 

pared  with  that  of  the  great  fallen  warrior ;  and  as  the 
weather  was  threatening  rain — yes,  rain — we  galloped 
onr  donkeys  at  full  speed  and  hurried  to  the  tombs  of 
the  Appis. 

They  lie  to  the  westward  of  the  pyramid  of  Abouseer, 
to  the  north  of  the  great  pyramid  of  Sakkara,  and  were 
discovered  by  Mr.  Mariette,  together  with  the  Serapi- 
um,  with  which  they  communicate. 

They  consist  of  long  underground  passages  hewn  in 
the  rock,  on  both  sides  of  which  are  deep  recesses,  each 
containing  an  enormous  sarcophagus  of  granite,  mea- 
suring twelve  feet  five  inches  by  seven  feet  six  and  a 
half  inches,  and  seven  feet  high,  or,  to  the  top  of  the 
lid,  eleven  feet.  They  are  unsculpturecl,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  or  three  which  are  of  a  later  period, 
just  before  and  after  the  Persian  conquest.  The  re- 
cesses and  passages  have  been  compared  to  immense 
wine-vaults. 

At  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  torches  had 
been  placed  at  regular  distances,  and  the  tombs  lighted 
up  for  the  benefit  of  his  Highness;  but  poor  we  had 
only  a  few  candles  to  guide  us  in  our  observations. 

We  were  greatly  pleased  with  the  Serapium,  a  hand- 
some little-  temple,  which,  having  been  for  centuries 
buried  by  the  accumulated  sand  of  the  Sakkara  desert, 
when  opened  by  Mr.  Mariette,  presented  to  the  admi- 
ration of  the  present  age  walls  decorated  with  a  pro- 
fusion of  sculptures  in  very  slight  relief,  and  paintings 
of  most  excellent  design  and  workmanship.  The  col- 
ors, too,  are  most  vivid;  the  figures  admirably  drawn, 
and  with  no  little  spirit.     Birds  and  animals  of  various 


180  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL. 

kinds,  and  all  manner  of  trades,  are  here  depicted — 
among  them  carpenters  at  work. 

Here  we  lunched,  and  then  turned  our  donkeys 
homeward,  glad  when  we  re-entered  the  thick  forest 
and  left  the  dreary  desert  behind. 

"We  were  soon  again  on  deck,  enjoying  one  of  our 
last  sunsets  on  the  Nile,  and  bidding  adieu  to  the 
place  where  Memphis  lay  buried  with  all  its  wonders ; 
and  as  we  glided  on  the  water  the  distant  minarets  and 
citadels  of  Cairo  were  seen  faintly  sketched  against  the 
sky,  while  on  our  left  a  long  succession  of  pyramids 
towered  over  the  dark  belt  of  forest  that  led  along 
the  river.  Night  had  driven  out  the  day  as  we  ap- 
proached brilliantly  lighted  Koda,  and  moored  in  the 
stream  opposite  its  palace. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ISLAND      OF      RODA THE      "  NLLOMETER  " — FATLMA WO- 

MAn's  EIGHTS — GOOD-BY  TO  OUR  CREW IN   CAIRO  AGAIN 

DEPARTURE    FROM     ALEXANDRIA PORT     SAID SUEZ 

CANAL JAFFA THE   CONVENT — THE    CAMP — HOUSE    OF 

SIMON    THE    TANNER  —  SELECTION    OF     HORSES "  THE 

SACRED  SOIL." 

Wednesday,  March  25,  1868. 

jHE  night  has  been  quite  stormy ;  we  have  had 
rain,  lightning,  and  thunder,  and  when  we 
arose  this  morning  the  heavens  were  still 
overcast ;  but  at  nine  o'clock  the  clouds  gave 
way  to  the  sun,  and  Tom  was  able  to  take  a  photo- 
graphic view  of  the  "  Kilometer,"  on  the  island  of 
Roda. 

While  returning  to  the  boat  he  was  hailed  by 
Mr.  Rogers,  who,  with  the  Messrs.  Beadel,  were  coining 
to  see  us,  having  heard  through  Mr.  Johnson's  drago- 
man that  we  were  moored  opposite  Old  Cairo. 

We  all  sat  down  to  lunch,  when  Mr.  Beadel  stated 
that  they  had  employed  a  first-class  dragoman,  one 
Joseph  Carem,  for  the  tour  in  Syria  and  Palestine,  and 
having  awaited  our  arrival  until  the  last  moment,  had 
concluded  a  contract  with  him,  leaving  a  clause  where- 
by it  was  optional  with  us  to  join  or  not.     He  had  the 


182  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SODL. 

highest  recommendations,  and  they  did  not  think  we 
could  find  a  better  one.  His  price,  compared  to  that 
which  we  had  paid  Mohammed  for  the  Nile  trip,  seemed 
moderate,  and  as  everything  was  ready  we  could  take 
the  steamer  of  the  28th  and  thus  lose  no  time  in  Cairo. 

After  Tom  had  consulted  with  Aline,  it  was  decided 
that  we  should  join  their  party,  and  as  we  had  no  time 
to  lose,  after  lunch  we  all  went  to  visit  the  "Kilometer," 
which  consists  of  a  square  well  or  chamber,  having  in  the 
centre  a  graduated  pillar  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining 
the  daily  rise  of  the  Nile.  This  is  proclaimed  every 
morning  in  the  streets  of  the  capital,  during  the  inun- 
dation, by  four  criers,  to  each  of  whom  a  portion  of  the 
city  is  assigned. 

The  island  of  Roda,  on  which  it  is  situated,  is  very 
pretty ;  the  gardens  which  surround  the'  palace  are 
crowded  with  orange  and  lemon  trees  in  full  blossom, 
as  well  as  various  other  tropical  plants,  and  quantities  of 
flowers.  We  were  not  allowed  to  go  too  near  the 
palace,  and  particularly  the  part  containing  the  harem ; 
and  looking  at  the  windows,  whilst  smelling  the  perfume 
of  a  bouquet  given  me  by  the  gardener,  I  saw  in  vision 
the  Fatima  of  whom  "VVarburton  has  made  such  a  charm- 
ing chapter. 

"Poor  Fatima!  shrined  as  she  was  in  the  palace  of 
a  tyrant,  the  fame  of  her  beauty  stole  abroad  through 
Cairo.  She  was  one  amongst  a  hundred  in  the  harem 
of  Abbas  Pacha,  a  man  stained  with  eveiy  foul  and 
loathsome  vice ;  and  who  can  wonder,  though  many 
may  condemn,  if  she  listened  to  a  daring  young  Alba- 
nian, who  risked  his  life  to  obtain  but  a  sight  of  her! 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOTL.  183 

Whether  she  did  listen  or  not,  none  can  ever  know ;  but 
the  eunuchs  saw  the  glitter  of  the  Arnaut's  arms,  as 
he  leaped  from  the  terrace  into  the  Kile,  and  vanished 
in  the  darkness 

"  The  following  night  a  merry  English  party  dined 
together  on  board  Lord  Exmouth's  boat,  as  it  lay  moored 
off  the  Isle  of  Rhoda;  conversation  had  sunk  into 
silence  as  the  calm  night  came  on ;  a  faint  breeze 
floated  perfumes  from  the  gardens  over  the  star-lit  Nile, 
and  scarcely  moved  the  clouds  that  rose  from  the  chi- 
bouques ;  a  dreamy  languor  seemed  to  pervade  all  na- 
ture, and  even  the  city  lay  hushed  in  deep  repose, 
when  suddenly  a  boat,  crowded  with  dark  figures,  among 
which  arms  gleamed,  shot  out  from  one  of  the  arches  of 
the  palace ;  it  paused  under  the  opposite  bank,  where 
the  water  rushed  deep  and  gloomily  along,  and  for  a 
moment  a  white  figure  glimmered  among  the  boat's  dark 
crew ;  there  was  a  slight  movement  and  a  faint  splash ; — ■ 
and  then — the  river  flowed  on  as  merrily  as  if  poor  Fa- 
tima  still  sang  her  Georgian  song  to  the  murmur  of  its 
waters ! " 

Oh !  shades  of  Joan  of  Arc  and  the  Maid  of  Saragossa, 
inspire  with  increased  fervor  your  modern  heroines,  and 
female  champions,  Miss  Anthony,  Anna  Dickinson,  and 
Mrs.  Mary  "Walker — Egypt  is  the  place  to  "exercise" 
your  abilities  and  "exorcise"  that  inhuman  monster, 
"man"  Cairo  is  your  stamping-ground,  wherein  to 
establish  a  "  Woman's  Rights  Convention"  with  ramifi- 
cations and  branches  throughout  the  length  and  nar- 
roivness  of  the  land.  The  Egyptian  woman  has  no 
soul  j  she  cannot  even  quietly  die  and  go  to  heaven ; 


184:  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

she  simply  is  annihilated.  To  all  intents  and  purposes 
she  is  a  chattel,  belonging  bodily  to  the  man  who  calls 
himself  her  husband. 

In  all  the  villages  on  the  Nile  you  see  these  poor  vic- 
tims at  work  as  busily  as  bees,  tilling  the  land,  or  draw- 
ing water  for  domestic  purposes,  while  the  lazy  husbands 
sit  or  loll  in  the  shade,  dreaming  over  their  chibouques,  or 
listlessly  sipping  their  conee-grounds.  I  never  saw  them 
do  it,  but  I  imagine  they  get  up  sometimes  to  rest. 

These  brutes  never  even  take  care  of  the  babies — nor 
do  the  most  strong-minded  of  the  women  ever  dream  of 
"voting." 

On  returning  to  the  dahabeeh  we  gave  orders  to  float 
down  to  Embabeh,  the  port  of  Cairo,  and  passed  the 
afternoon  packing,  so  as  to  be  able  to  leave  the  boat 
early  the  following  morning.  It  was  five  o'clock  when 
we  moored  in  the  stream,  near  the  other  dahabeehs, 
among  which  were  the  Rachel,  Cleopatra,  and  Lin- 
coln. Tom  went  immediately  to  the  banker,  Ab- 
carius,  and  the  evening  was  passed  reading  letters 
from  home.  Poor  Mohammed  felt  very  sad  at  the 
thought  of  our  leaving  him,  and  gave  us  some  useful 
advice  about  our  Syrian  trip. 

Our  final  night  on  board  ! — let  us  take  a  look  at  our 
sailors,  who,  seated  together,  smoking,  seem  also  to  be 
affected  by  the  approaching  separation. 

Good-night  to  all,  and  may  God  bless  you ! — a  last 
gaze  at  the  starry  heavens — and  then  to  bed. 

Thursday,  March  26. 
At  ten  o'clock,  everything  being  in  readiness,  and  the 


THE   NILOMETER  AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  185 

carriage  waiting  for  us,  a  backsheesh  of  fifty  dollars  was 
distributed  to  our  faithful  sailors,  who  did  not  know 
how  to  thank  us ;  and  then  good-by  to  all ;  once  more 
let  us  shake  hands,  good-by,  good-by !  But  it  was 
not  enough, — until  the  last  moment  they  must  have 
a  glimpse  of  us,  and  when  we  were  seated  in  the  car- 
riage they  all  approached,  and,  one  after  another,  kissed 
our  hands,  and  poured  forth  their  best  wishes  for  our 
welfare. 

It  was  a  sad  parting,  and  the  tears  were  ready  to 
fall ;  but — speed  away,  good  driver !  on  and  away  to 
Sheppard's  Hotel.  Here  we  found  all  our  friends — the 
Johnsons,  Beadels,  and  Mr.  Rogers — and  soon  after 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Joseph  Carem,  our  new  dra- 
goman. 

His  appearance  is  far  from  being,  like  that  of  Mo- 
hammed, mild  and  inoffensive.  His  immense  black  eyes 
are  rather  protruding,  yet  he  appears  quick  and  smart. 
"We  will  see  how  he  fulfils  all  the  promises  he  makes. 
He  is  to  start  to-day  for  Alexandria,  so  as  to  have 
everything  in  readiness  for  the  steamer.  Our  after- 
noon was  employed  shopping,  and  our  evening  very 
agreeably  passed  with  Mrs.  Johnson,  who  related  some 
incidents  of  her  journey  in  Greece  and  Turkey. 


Friday,  March  27. 

In  the  morning  we  went  to  Desire,  the  photographer, 
where  Tom  had  all  his  bottles  refilled,  for  use  in  Syria 
and  Palestine ;  and  as  we  entered  into  conversation  with 
him,  heard  that  Edmond  About  (the  celebrated  French 


186  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

writer),  after  visiting  the  canal  at  Suez,  had  left  ten 
days  since,  to  go  up  the  Nile,  on  a  steamer  furnished 
him  by  the  Pasha;  also  that  Jerome,  the  artist,  with 
a  party  of  friends,  had  been  to  Sinai,  and  must  be 
now  in  Jerusalem ;  perhaps  we  may  meet  him  there. 
Mohammed  came  to  give  us  his  last  farewell,  and 
soon  we  were  in  the  cars,  ready  to  start  for  Alexandria. 
"While  at  the  depot  we  encountered  Henry  du  Rocker, 
Baron  de  Commailles,  Henry  Standish,  and  Captain 
Hoare,  the  gentlemen  who  dined  with  us  at  Mustapha 
Aga's  house  at  Thebes. 

We  found  Joseph  waiting  at  the  station  in  Alexandria, 
who  took  us  to  the  hotel  Abbatt,  where  rooms  had  been 
prepared. 

Saturday,  March  28. 

The  morning  was  passed  making  purchases,  and 
looking  at  a  city  that  perhaps  we  will  never  see  again ; 
and  at  two  o'clock  we  went  aboard  the  steamer  Alex- 
ander II.,  a  new  and  magnificent  Russian  vessel. 
The  state-rooms  are  the  handsomest  and  largest  we  had 
ever  seen,  and  to  add  to  all  this  comfort,  the  commander 
is  exceedingly  amiable  and  obliging. 

M.  de  Commailles,  who  will  return  hence  to  Paris, 
came  on  board  to  bid  adieu  to  his  friends  Mr.  Standish 
and  Captain  Hoare.  He  remained  until  the  last  mo- 
ment, and  when  taking  leave  again  assured  us  of  the 
great  pleasure  it  would  afford  him  to  meet  us  in  Paris. 
At  three  o'clock  the  anchor  was  raised,  and  though 
we  fought  as  well  as  we  could  against  sea-sickness,  were 
obliged  at  last  to  give  way  to  it,  and  all  retired  early. 


THE  NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  187 

Sunday,  March.  29. 

This  morning  the  sea  is  smooth,  permitting  us  to 
listen  with  pleasure  to  the  very  interesting  account  Mr. 
Standish  gave  us  of  his  visit  to  St.  Petersburg  the 
winter  previous ;  also  that  of  Capt.  Hoare  to  Sackara 
and  Memphis.  The  captain  relates  well,  and  we  all 
wished  that  we  had  had  the  good  fortune  which  he  en- 
countered when  he  went  to  visit  the  ruins.  Their 
steamer  ran  on  a  sand-bank,  and,  after  several  hours  of 
fruitless  efforts,  they  were  told  that  it  would  require 
one  or  two  hundred  men  to  get  the  boat  afloat  again ; 
so  they  determined  to  hire  donkeys  and  make  their 
way  back  to  Cairo.  Messrs.  Standish,  Du  Pocher,  and 
De  Commailles  arrived  very  late  in  the  night,  but  the 
captain  decided  not  to  hurry,  and  when  near  Memphis 
thought  that  -it  would  be  a  pity  to  pass  that  cele- 
brated place  without  visiting  its  ruins,  and  so  resolved 
to  stop  for  the  night  in  an  adjacent  hut. 

While  there  he  heard  that  Mr.  Mariette,  the  director 
of  the  French  Museum  at  Cairo,  had  just  arrived  on  a 
steamer,  and  upon  sending  his  card  was  most  cordially 
and  graciously  received  by  that  gentleman,  who  gave 
him  a  room  on  board  his  boat. 

Nor  was  this  all.  Mr.  Mariette  was  with  very  good 
company,  having,  among  others,  two  distinguished  sur- 
geons from  Prussia ;  and  in  the  morning  the  whole 
party  (with  assistants  amounting  to  twenty)  went  to 
visit  the  tombs  of  the  Appis.  Every  subterraneous 
passage  was  lighted  up  as  at  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of 
Wales ;  and  after  having  taken  lunch  in  the  great  sar- 
cophagus, which  was  large  enough  to  contain  them  all, 


188  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SODL. 

three  mummies  were  unrolled,  and  a  very  animated  dis- 
cussion commenced  between  the  doctors  as  to  the  man- 
ner of  embalming  by  the  ancient  Egyptians. 

It  was  eleven  o'clock  before  we  arrived  at  Port-Said ; 
and  as  soon  as  breakfast  was  over,  took  a  boat  and  went 
to  inspect  the  immense  manufactured  stones  which  are 
to  be  used  for  the  new  pier;  and  then  to  examine  the 
great  dredging  machines,  without  which  invention  it 
would  have  been  impossible  to  have  completed  the 
great  work  of  excavation.  The  port  is  exceedingly 
animated,  and  crowded  with  foreign  vessels,  whilst  the 
city  itself  is  very  gay ;  the  houses  and  bazars  cleanly, 
and  the  market,  with  its  crowd  of  merchants,  camels, 
and  dogs,  a  sight  in  itself. 

Before  returning  to  the  steamer  we  took  a  row  on  the 
Suez  canal,  whence  we  returned  to  the  ship,  and  at  four 
o'clock  were  pursuing  our  route  towards  Jaffa.  The 
sea  continued  smooth,  and  permitted  us  to  dine  comfort- 
ably. 

Monday,  March  30. 

At  nine  o'clock  a.m.  we  came  in  view  of  Jaffa,  and 
soon  the  steamer  stopped  to  allow  the  passengers  to 
land. 

The  anxiety  which  we  all  had  experienced  was  now 
relieved,  for  as  the  so-called  port  is  nothing  more  than 
a  narrow  and  shallow  inlet,  with  an  unprotected  road- 
stead outside,  it  is  impossible  to  effect  a  landing  except 
in  calm  weather,  and  then  only  with  the  aid  of  small 
boats. 

The  steamer  anchored  about  a  mile  from  shore,  and 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL.  189 

was  soon  surrounded  by  dirty  little  boats,  manned  by 
Arabs,  who  were  far  from  possessing  the  meek  looks  of 
our  good  Egyptian  sailors.  For  an  hour  intense  ex- 
citement and  hubbub  prevailed  on  board,  and  the  drago- 
men had  a  great  deal  to  do  getting  all  their  furniture 
together.  Bedding,  tents,  hardware,  carpets,  kitchen 
utensils,  chairs,  tables,  trunks — everything  had  to  be 
raised  from  the  hold,  and  lay  scattered  about  the  decks 
in  indescribable  confusion,  and  a  hard  time  we  had  to 
prevent  the  Arabs  of  the  port  laying  hands  on  some  of 
our  property  and  getting  ashore  with  it. 

The  wind  was  fresh,  the  waves  quite  high,  causing  the 
steamer  to  roll  so  much  that  it  was  very  difficult  to  keep 
steady ;  the  captain  therefore  advised  us  ladies  to  land 
as  soon  as  possible  and  leave  the  gentlemen  to  attend  to 
the  baggage.  So  with  his  kind  assistance  we  managed 
to  jump  from  the  companion-ladder  into  a  little  boat, 
and  accompanied  by  Mr.  C.  Beadel  and  Mrs.  Henrietta, 
a  lady  passenger,  made  for  the  shore. 

I  looked  at  the  city  we  were  slowly  approaching. 
"High  above  the  rugged  rocks  and  whitening  surge," 
says  Dixon,  "  stands  a  cone  of  houses,  a  town  having  a 
low-lying  beach,  dark  walls,  and  on  either  side  of  these 
walls  a  clump  of  wood."  Yes,  thus  it  is,  and  very  pic- 
turesque did  it  appear  to  us,  lighted  by  the  morning 
sun. 

As  we  approached  the  outer  reef  or  wall  of  rocks,  upon 
which  the  waves  break  with  their  foamy  crests,  through 
which  it  is  necessary  to  pass  by  an  opening  only  about 
twelve  feet  in  width,  our  rowers  wished  to  impress  upon 
our  minds  the  idea  of  the  danger  should  we  by  chance 


190  THE   NILOiTETER   AND   THE   SACRED   BOIL. 

miss  the  opening  and  strike  upon  the  rocks;  but  we 
laughed  at  the  thought,  and  the  boat  went  rolling  and 
surging  through,  reminding  us  somewhat  of  the  passage 
of  the  first  cataract  on  the  Xile. 

Soon  we  were  landed  among  a  great  crowd  of  natives 
assembled  to  see  the  strangers.  We  left  Charles  Beadel 
paying  our  men,  and  followed  Mrs.  Henrietta  to  the 
Latin  Convent,  where  we  were  received  by  the  priests, 
who  overwhelmed  us  with  kind  attentions,  and  while 
waiting  for  the  rest  of  our  party  amused  ourselves  look- 
ing over  the  visitors'  book,  and  there  noticed  that  the 
Marchioness  of  Ely,  with  her  son,  had  passed  through 
Jaffa  two  days  previous. 

Soon  Messrs.  Standish  and  Hoare  joined  us,  and  we 
all  stepped  out  on  the  terrace  to  enjoy  the  fresh  air. 
After  a  few  minutes  we  saw  our  gentlemen  coming  in  a 
little  boat,  while  farther  off  lay  the  steamer  rolling  ma- 
jestically on  the  waves.  We  shouted  a  salute,  and  dinner 
being  announced,  proceeded  to  the  dining-room,  where 
two  priests  were  in  attendance.  Soup,  fresh  fish,  and 
potatoes,  with  oranges  from  the  groves  near  by,  composed 
our  repast,  which,  being  offered  with  good  grace  was 
equally  well  received. 

Messrs.  Standish  and  Hoare's  dragoman  soon  came  to 
inform  them  that  he  was  readjr  to  start  at  any  moment 
they  pleased ;  so  they  shook  hands  all  around,  hoping  to 
meet  us  soon  in  Jerusalem.  After  remunerating  the 
priests  for  their  kindness  we  left  the  convent,  proceed- 
ing towards  the  Jerusalem  gate,  near  which,  flanked  by 
the  orange  groves  beyond,  we  were  to  find  our  tents, 
that  we  had  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  for  us,  as  we 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  191 

did  not  intend  to  leave  for  Jerusalem  until  tlie  following 
morning. 

Here  we  found  them,  five  in  number,  with  the  Ameri- 
can flag  waving  overhead.  There  are  two  of  fourteen 
ropes,  two  of  twelve  ropes,  and  one  of  ten  ropes,  which, 
will  be  the  kitchen.  One  of  the  fourteen,  with  a  curtain 
dividing  it  in  two  parts,  is  to  be  our  bed-room — Aline, 
Tom,  and  I — for  forty  days  ;  the  other  fourteen  is  to  be 
occupied  by  Messrs.  Beadel,  Sr.,  and  Rogers.  One  of 
the  twelve  ropes  will  be  our  dining  saloon,  and  the  other 
similar  one  is  for  Henry  Beadel  and  his  brother  Charles. 
These  tents  are  all  new,  with  double  roofs,  and  I  will  de- 
scribe the  interior  arrangement  of  ours,  so  as  to  give 
my  friends  an  idea  of  our  airy  "home." 

Two  rugs  of  Turkey  carpet  are  spread  on  the  ground ; 
the  three  bedsteads  occupy  each  a  side  of  the  tent ;  in 
the  centre  is  a  table  with  a  fancy  cover,  and  a  vase  con- 
taining flowers.  A  table  near  the  doorway  is  to  be  our 
wash-stand,  having  upon' it  all  that  is  required  for  one's 
toilet.  These,  with  our  valises  and  three  folding-chairs, 
compose  our  furniture.  Joseph,  our  dragoman,  soon 
came  to  inform  us  that  lunch  was  ready,  and  repairing 
to  the  saloon  tent  we  sat  down  at  table,  enjoying  the 
novelty  of  the  scene. 

But  muleteers  with  horses  are  outside,  at  least  fifty  of 
the  latter ;  so,  leaving  Tom  and  Heury  to  make  selec- 
tions therefrom,  Aline,  Mr.  Beadel,  Sr.,  Charles  Beadel, 
Mr.  Rogers,  and  myself  went  to  visit  the  house  of  Simon 
the  tanner. 

"We  again  entered  the  city  by  the  Jerusalem  gate,  and 
near  it  stopped  to  admire  the  beautiful  Saracenic  foun- 


192  THE   NILOMETER   AKD   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

tain,  called  Abou-Nabbout,  with  jets  of  water  flowing 
into  marble  troughs,  and  over  which  a  pious  verse  from 
the  Koran  is  printed  in  golden  type.  It  is  the  rendez- 
vous of  all  the  unoccupied  people  of  the  town,  and  there 
are  always  many  such  to  be  found  in  the  East.  The 
streets  of  Jaffa  are  exceedingly  narrow  and  dirty;  so 
narrow  that  you  have  to  range  yourself  every  now  and 
then  against  the  houses  to  avoid  troops  of  horses  and 
camels;  but  after  passing  under  arches,  and  going  up 
and  clown  steps,  we  arrived  at  the  "house"  said  to  be 
the  one  in  which  Simon  the  tanner  had  lived,  and  soon 
were  seated  under  the  shade  of  a  fig-tree  on  the  terrace, 
where  the  angel  appeared  to  the  prophet  Eli. 

The  weather  was  very  warm;  the  walk  had  fa- 
tigued us,  and  while  my  eyes  were  resting  on  the  calm 
sea  spread  before  us,  and  admiring  its  silvery  surface, 
which  in  the  far  distance  seemed  mingling  with  the  bine 
sky,  I  tried  to  recall  all  that  is  said  of  Jaffa,  the 
ancient  Joppa  of  the  Scriptures,  spoken  of  by  Pliny  as 
being  an  antediluvian  city.  It  was  here,  according  to 
tradition,  that  Andromeda  was  tied  to  the  rock  and  ex- 
posed to  the  marine  monster;  here  that  Noah  con- 
structed the  ark ;  here  that  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  were 
brought  by  order  of  King  Solomon  to  serve  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  temple ;  here  that  the  prophet  Jonah 
embarked,  862  years  b.  c.  ;  here  that  Tabitha  was  resus- 
citated by  St.  Peter.  The  city  was  fortified  by  St.  Louis, 
in  the  time  of  the  crusaders,  and  in  1709  it  was  taken 
by  Bonaparte,  and  by  his  order  all  the  Turkish  prison- 
ers were  massacrod. 

Surprised,  after  waiting  an  hour,  not  to  see  Tom  and 


THE  NILOMETEK.    AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  193 

Henry  Beadel  coming  to  join  us,  we  returned  to  our  en- 
campment and  found  both  still  among  horses  and  mule- 
teers, and  heard  that  among  fifty  or  sixty  horses  only 
two  had  been  chosen  by  Tom  as  passable ;  and  he  pro- 
posed that  we  should  try  those  he  had  selected.  Aline 
was  easily  satisfied,  being  a  good  "  Amazone;"  but  as  my 
equestrian  tuition  had  never  advanced  beyond  riding 
an  Egyptian  donkey,  I  felt  quite  nervous,  and  it  was 
with  dread  that  I  anticipated  our  next  morning's  de- 
parture. 

Our  first  dinner  in  the  tent  proved  to  be  excellent ; 
we  were  in  fine  spirits,  chatted  a  great  deal  about  the 
journey  we  had  before  us,  and  all  felt  happy  to  tread 
at  last  that  earth  where  such  divine  feet  had  trodden 
before  us.  Yes,  we  were  in  the  Holy  Land,  and  when 
I  wished  all  good-night,  and  stepped  out  of  our  dining  sa- 
loon into  the  open  air,  how  could  I  express  the  sensations 
and  emotions  that  took  possession  of  my  heart  and  spirit 
at  the  novel,  strange,  and  sublime  scene  I  had  before 
me.  Our  five  white  tents,  almost  lustrous  in  the  bright 
moonlight,  formed  a  circle  around  me,  looking  weird- 
like and  fantastic;  the  kitchen  fire  was  still  glowing, 
and  lying  around  it  were  our  men,  muleteers,  servants, 
and  dragomen,  some  of  them  smoking,  others  talking ; 
the  mules  with  their  tinkling  bells,  walking  to  and  fro, 
were  making  a  new  and  sweet  music ;  the  air  was  im- 
pregnated with  the  perfume  of  the  lemon  and  orange 
trees;  before  me  I  could  see  the  city  spread  out  on  the 
hill,  and  to  my  right  the  desert  of  Gaza;  my  feet  were 
treading  on  a  carpet  of  flowers ;  far,  far  off,  I  heard  the 
roaring  of  the  waves  on  the  beach,  and  above,  the  stars 


194:  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

were  looking  down  from  the  blue  heavens.  Here  I  had 
none  of  the  antique  monuments  of  Egypt  to  admire, 
and  yet  my  heart  was  filled  with  sweeter  emotions  than 
ever  it  had  felt  in  all  the  grand  scenes  of  Thebes  and 
Karnak;  in  that  moment  I  felt  purer  and  better;  and 
it  seemed  as  if  treading  on  this  '"'•sacred  soil"  had  been 
enough  to  wash  out  the  sins  of  the  past.  I  could  only 
repeat  to  myself,  again  and  again,  "The  Holy  Land, 
the  Holy  Land ! "  and  with  thanks  to  God  I  entered  my 
tent  and  laid  me  down  to  sleep. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 


OUR    CARAVAN — PLAIN    OF    SHARON LTDDA BIRTHPLACE 

OP  ST.  GEORGE — AN  ACCIDENT — RAMLEH MOUNTAINS  OF 

JUDEA — ABOU-GOCH — DAVID     AND     GOLIAH — MOUNT     OF 
OLIVES — BAD   WATER — JERUSALEM. 


Tuesday,  March  31,  1868. 
HE   order  was  to  be  in  the  saddle  at  eight 


"to 

o'clock,  so  as  to  "  do  "  half  the  route  between 
Jaffa  and  Jerusalem  that  day ;  but  though 
we  breakfasted  very  early,  it  was  ten  o'clock 
before  we  started. 

It  took  at  least  two  hours  for  the  men  to  fold  the 
tents,  pack  up  the  furniture,  put  the  baggage  on  the 
mules,  etc.,  etc.  Joseph  said  it  would  not  be  thus  every 
day ;  that  they  had  to  get  accustomed  to  arrange  the 
loads,  and  learn  exactly  what  should  go  on  each 
mule.  Seated  on  chairs  in  the  shade  of  some  trees,  we 
watched  the  performance ;  for  the  animals  were  not 
always  docile,  and  some  would  try  to  shake  their  bur- 
dens off. 

At  last  all  was  ready ;  Mrs.  Henrietta,  attired  in  a 
tight-fitting  velvet  suit,  a  little  hat  trimmed  with  cherry, 
with  a  white  turban  wound  around,  and  high-buttoned 
Louis  XVth  boots,  who  had  asked  as  a  favor  to  join 


196  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL. 

our  caravan  as  far  as  Jerusalem,  whither  she  was  going 
on  a  pilgrimage  to  visit  the  tomb  of  her  mother  and 
sister,  who  had  both  died  of  cholera  twelve  years  ago  in 
the  holy  city,  arrived,  mounted  on  a  little  white  horse, 
and  followed  by  a  servant.  Daring  the  first  half  hour 
of  our  journey  I  was  too  much  occupied  with  my  horse 
to  notice  anything  around  me.  This  lasted  only  for  a 
time.  I  soon  gained  confidence,  and  then,  like  every- 
body else,  admired  the  prospect.  We  had  just  passed  a 
fountain  (Ain-Dalab)  shaded  by  sycamores  and  palms, 
and  on  both  sides  of  the  road  extended  a  varied 
forest  of  all  the  fruit-trees  and  flowering  shrubs  of  the 
Orient.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  describe  the  richness 
and  beauty  of  this  vegetation.  For  a  mile  or  two  we 
followed,  on  both  sides,  hedges  of  myrtle,  jasmine,  cactus, 
and  pomegranate-trees ;  while  the  fine  grass,  covered 
with  wild  flowers,  caused  me  to  regret  that  I  was  not 
versed  in  botany.  I  could  admire,  but  not  know  the 
names  of  the  beautiful  plants  I  saw  passing  through 
Syria  and  Palestine.  In  the  latter  country  they  are 
not  so  plentiful,  but  Syria  possesses  thousands  of  vari- 
eties, painting  the  landscape  with  their  varied  and  bril- 
liant hues. 

Our  party  of  seven,  Mrs.  Henrietta,  a  German  who 
joined  us  and  placed  himself  under  our  protection  no- 
lens voleiis,  the  dragoman,  eight  muleteers,  and  two  ser- 
vants— twenty  persons  in  all — with  twenty-six  horses  and 
mules,  constituted  quite  an  imposing  caravan ;  and  we 
knew  there  was  no  danger,  with  such  numbers,  of  an  at- 
tack from  the  Bedouins  of  the  desert.  We  had  seen 
some  at  Jaffa,  mounted  on  fine  horses,  wrapped  in  white 


THE    KILOMETER   AND    THE    SACKED    SOIL.  197 

and  black  striped  camels'  hair  burnouses ;  equipped  in 
war  costume,  guns  on  their  shoulders  and  pistols  in  their 
belts.  They  looked  far  nobler  than  the  Arabs  of  Egypt, 
but  we  felt  no  fear  of  them,  for  we  had  heard  in  Jaffa 
that  if  there  was  a  woman  in  the  caravan  there  was  no 
danger  of  their  attacking  it.  They  have  a  profound  re- 
spect for  courage,  and  it  surprises  them  to  see  European 
ladies  travelling  through  the  country  unapprehensive 
of  danger. 

After  passing  an  avenue  of  olive-trees,  which  marks 
the  place  of  a  farm  built  by  order  of  Colbert,  and  under 
the  trees  of  which  it  is  said  Bonaparte  encamped  during 
his  expedition,  we  passed  Beit-Dedjan,  once  Beth-Dagon 
— House  of  Dagon — the  ancient  fish-god  of  the  Philis- 
tines, who  elevated  in  his  honor  a  magnificent  temple 
at  Gaza. 

Travelling  through  the  beautiful  plain  of  Sharon,  we 
arrived  after  a  three  hours'  ride  at  Lyclda,  and  selected 
a  charming  spot  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town  for  our 
luncheon.  For  an  hour  clouds  had  been  gathering 
overhead,  and  a  light  shower  admonished  us  that  it 
would  be  advisable  to  remain  here  over  night,  more 
especially  as  the  dragoman  said  the  ruins  of  the  church 
of  St.  George  were  worth  visiting. 

Quietly  seated  outside  our  tents,  which  stood  in  a 
magnificent  orchard  of  olive-trees,  the  grass  under  our 
feet  being  thicker  and  softer  than  the  softest  carpet  ever 
trodden  on,  we  soon  had  a  bouquet  of  wild  flowers  on 
our  table,  taken  from  the  carpet  itself,  and  amused  our- 
selves reading  the  story  of  Lydda,  the  town  of  so  many 
names. 


198  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

It  is  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  as  one  of  the  posses- 
sions of  the  Benjamites  (1  Chron.  viii.  12).  It  was 
given  to  Jonathan  Maccabees  by  Demetrius  Soter,  and 
Josephus  tells  us  that  Cassius,  the  Roman  governor  of 
Judea,  reduced  its  inhabitants  to  slavery,  and  later  it 
was  rebuilt  under  the  name  of  Diospolis.  In  the  fourth 
century  it  was  erected  into  a  bishopric  dependent  upon 
Jerusalem,  and  the  crusaders  had  it  rebuilt  under  the 
name  of  St.  George,  who  was  born  and  is  buried  in  the 
place.  It  is  also  in  Lydda  that  the  New  Testament 
places  the  cure  of  the  paralytic  by  St.  Peter  (Acts  ix. 
32,  39). 

The  church  of  St.  George,  which  we  visited  late  in 
the  afternoon,  is  a  handsome  ruin,  bearing  a  great  simi- 
larity to  an  old  English  abbey ;  which  would  confirm 
the  tradition  that  after  having  been  destroyed  by  Saladin, 
when  he  was  retreating  before  Richard  Cceur  de  Lion, 
it  was  rebuilt  by  this  prince,  who  passed  some  time  in 
Lydda  and  in  the  neighboring  town  of  Ramleh.  We 
were  sorry  Tom  was  not  ready  to  take  photographic 
views,  for  certainly  the  ruins  of  this  church  would  have 
been  one  of  the  handsomest  of  the  collection,  and  a 
view  of  the  city  itself,  situated  on  a  hill  in  the  midst  of 
the  plain  of  Sharon,  surrounded  by  olive,  fig,  pome- 
granate, orange,  and  lemon  trees,  would  have  helped  to 
keep  the  remembrance  of  it  more  vivid.  In  all  our  pil- 
grimage through  Syria  we  have  not  found  a  second 
Lydda. 

Wednesday,  April  1. 

As  we  had  a  long  day's  work  before  us,  we  were  up 
early,  and  at  half-past  seven  in  the  saddle.     Mr.  Rogers. 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SAGKED    SOIL.  199 

Mr.  Beadel,  Si*.,  and  I  were  behind,  and  wishing  to  rejoin 
the  rest  of  our  party,  put  our  horses  to  the  trot,  when  my 
saddle  turned,  and  I  was  thrown  to  the  ground,  luckily 
more  frightened  than  hurt,  my  wrist  only  being  bruised  ; 
but  I  did  not  recover  from  the  nervousness  created  by 
the  accident  for  several  days. 

After  an  hour's  ride  we  passed  Ramleh,  a  Mussulman 
city,  which  the  Arab  Abou-el-Feda  affirms  was  estab- 
lished in  a.d.  716  by  the  Caliph  Suleiman,  son  of  Abd- 
el-Melik.  The  first  traveller  who  mentions  Ramleh  is  a 
priest  named  Bernard,  who  visited  Palestine  in  the  year 
S70.  Taken  by  the  crusaders  in  1099,  it  fell  into  the 
hands  of  Saladin  in  1187,  and  became  afterwards  the  gen- 
eral head-quarters  of  Richard  Cceur  de  Lion.  In  1266, 
by  the  conquest  of  Sultan  Bibars,  it  fell  again  under  the 
Mussulman  domination.  To-day  it  is  a  small  town  in- 
habited by  two  thousand  Mussulmans,  and  about  one 
thousand  Christians,  almost  all  of  the  Greek  rite.  The 
Latin  Convent,  where  travellers  generally  stop,  was 
founded  in  1240  by  Philip  le  Bon,  Duke  of  Burgundy, 
and  later  restored  by  the  liberality  of  Louis  XIY. 

We  alighted  for  lunch  at  the  end  of  the  plain  of 
Ramleh,  near  a  fountain  cut  in  a  rock,  called  through- 
out the  country  Jacob's  Well.  It  was  about  one  o'clock, 
the  sun  very  hot,  and  all  somewhat  tired  ;  so  while  Jo- 
seph and  the  servants  were  preparing  the  meal,  we  threw 
ourselves  fall  length  on  the  grass,  under  the  shade  of 
olive-trees,  our  eyes  resting  on  the  mountains  of  Judea. 

"  Joseph,  at  what  time  shall  we  arrive  at  Jerusa- 
lem ? " 

•'  You  have  yet  three  hours'  ride,  sir." 


200  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

"  Well,  it  is  now  two  o'clock ;  let  us  start  so  as  to  ar- 
rive early." 

In  approaching  the  mountains  a  rough  and  narrow 
path  leads  by  a  rapid  ascent  through  a  dark  ravine  to  a 
green  valley  named  Wady-Aly,  the  natives  of  which  in 
former  times  had  a  very  bad  reputation. 

Valleys  and  mountains  succeed  each  other ;  on  a 
hill-side  we  admired  the  picturesque  effect  of  the 
village  of  Abou-Goch,  so  named  from  a  celebrated  rob- 
ber chief,  who,  twenty-five  years  ago,  spread  terror  all 
around.  The  real  name  of  the  place  is  Kariet-el-Enab 
(Grape  Village),  and  is  said  to  be  the  ancient  Kiryat- 
Jearim,  where  for  twenty  years  the  ark  was  deposited. 
It  overlooks  a  green  valley  covered  with  fig,  olive,  lemon, 
and  orange  trees,  and  at  the  entrance  of  the  village  we 
passed  the  Gothic  church  of  St.  Jeremy,  converted  to- 
day into  a  stable.  At  sunset  we  are  at  the  top  of  a 
mountain  pass,  admiring  the  glorious  hues  reflected  on 
all  the  surrounding  scenery.  What  the  names  of  all 
these  mountains  are  I  do  not  know,  but  this  dark  and 
black  valley  at  our  feet  must  be  Elali  or  Terebinthe, 
where  David  with  his  sling  killed  the  Philistine  giant. 

"  Joseph,  when  will  we  see  the  Mount  of  Olives  ?  " 

"Very  soon,  sir;  after  you  have  passed  those  moun- 
tains that  you  see  yonder." 

Up  and  down  we  go  again,  pass  the  mountains  pointed 
out  by  Joseph,  but  there  is  no  sign  of  Jerusalem.  Night 
has  succeeded  day;  and  Tom,  Aline,  Charles  Beadel, 
Mr.  Rogers,  and  the  German  gentleman,  with  one  of 
the  muleteers,  who  followed  with  our  shawls,  commenced 
to  gallop  their  horses.     Mr.  Beadel,  Sr.,  Mrs.  Henrietta, 


THE   NILOHETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  201 

as  much  fatigued  as  myself,  and  I,  were  incapable  of  so 
doing,  while  Henry  kindly  remained  with  us. 

On  they  went :  Joseph  assuring  us  all  the  time  that 
we  would  soon  arrive.  The  moon  rose,  and  at  seven 
o'clock  we  saw  some  tents  pitched  in  a  valley  near  us, 
and  soon  passed  the  Russian  Convent  and  then  the 
Jaffa  gate. 

The  road,  now  skirting  around  the  walls  of  the  city, 
became  so  stony  and  dangerous,  though  Joseph  en- 
deavored to  assure  us  it  was  not  so,  that  we  dismounted 
and  walked  down  regular  steps  of  stone  that  led  to 
Gethsemane ;  we  then  remounted,  and  riding  across  the 
Valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  ascended  the  Mount  of  Olives. 
The  higher  we  rose,  the  more  we  felt  the  cold  and  vio- 
lence of  the  wind.  At  last  we  reached  the  camp,  heard 
welcome  voices,  saw  bright  tires  burning ;  and,  while 
waiting  for  dinner,  were  glad  to  rest  our  weary  limbs, 
after  being  in  the  saddle  twelve  hours  and  a  half. 

The  others  had  arrived  an  hour  before,  and  every  one 
was  dissatisfied  with  Joseph,  who  had  so  badly  divided 
his  journeys. 

Dinner  was  announced ;  but  our  extreme  weariness 
and  the  cold  westerly  breeze  forbade  the  enjoyment  of 
our  meal,  and  soon  all  retired.  The  wind  increased  to 
such  violence  that  the  men  were  obliged  to  watch  the 
tents  during  the  night ;  and  from  time  to  time  we  were 
awakened  by  the  noise  of  hammering  the  pins  in  the 
ground. 

Thursday,  April  2. 

This  morning  we  made  the  discovery  that  the  drink- 
9* 


202  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

ing-water  was  very  impure — filled  in  fact  with  lively  red 
animals. 

The  dragoman  was  called,  who  informed  us  that 
nearly  all  the  water  in  and  about  Jerusalem  was  rain 
caught  in  cisterns,  and  this  was  as  pure  as  any.  "We 
however  ordered  him  to  obtain  some  from  another 
cistern,  and  found  a  decided  change — i.  e.,  the  little 
animals  were  now  all  white.  Fearing  that  this  would 
produce  sickness,  Tom  made  a  filter  with  charcoal,  and 
thenceforth  our  water  was  clear  and  sweet. 

Having  risen  late, — it  was  twelve  o'clock  by  the  time 
we  had  finished  breakfast, — we  went  to  visit  the  chapel 
of  the  Ascension,  where  it  is  said  Christ  appeared  to  His 
disciples  after  the  crucifixion  and  thence  ascended  to 
heaven.  We  were  even  shown  His  footprint  in  the 
stones.  This  chapel  belongs  to  ths  Mussulmans,  and 
the  Catholics  have  only  permission  to  perform  mass  on 
Ascension-day.  From  the  top  of  the  minaret  of  the 
mosque  we  had  a  splendid  view  of  the  Yalley  of  Jeho- 
shaphat,  of  the  dry  bed  of  the  Kedron,  and,  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach  with  a  lorgnette,  MTe  could  see,  shining 
amid  a  blue  chain  of  mountains,  the  Dead  Sea. 

But  how  well  repaid  we  were  for  all  our  fatigue  of 
the  previous  day  when  we  saw  Jerusalem  at  our  feet ! 
It  was  a  glorious  sight,  of  which  Tom  had  taken  a  view 
before  we  ladies  had  arisen.  But  I  do  not  think  any  de- 
scription could  bring  it  more  vividly  to  the  memory 
than  that  given  by  Lamartine: — 

■'  The  Mount  of  Olives,  on  the  top  of  which  I  am 
seated,  sinks  by  a  rough  and  rapid  declivity  to  tlie  pro- 
found   abyss    which  separates  it  from  Jerusalem,  and 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  203 

which  is  called  the  Valley  of  Jehoshaphat.  From  the 
bottom  of  that  dark  and  narrow  ravine,  whose  naked 
sides  are  spotted  or  speckled  with  white  and  black 
stones, — funereal  stones  of  death, — rises  an  immense  and 
wide  hill,  whose  rapid  declivity  resembles  a  high,  tum- 
bled rampart;  no  tree  can  grow  there,  no  moss  even  can 
be  seen  ;  the  inclination  is  so  steep  that  earth  and 
stones  are  constantly  rolling  down,  and  it  only  presents 
to  the  eye  a  surface  of  dried  dust,  looking  like  some 
mountain  of  ashes  thrown  from  the  top  of  the  city. 
Towards  the  centre  of  this  hill  or  natural  rampart,  high 
and  strong  walls  of  large  stones,  uncut  on  their  exterior 
faces,  begin,  hiding  their  Roman  and  Hebraic  founda- 
tions under  those  same  ashes  that  cover  their  feet,  and 
rising  hence  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  feet  above  that  base 
of  earth. 

"Three  city  gates  are  cut  in  these  walls;  two  are 
blocked  up,  and  the  open  one  looks  as  empty  and  de- 
serted as  if  it  only  gave  entry  to  an  uninhabited  city. 
[When  Lamartine  wrote  this,  in  1832,  the  pest  was 
raging  in  the  Holy  City.]  The  walls  are  still  higher 
than  these  gates,  and  sustain  a  large  and  wide  platform, 
extending  two-thirds  the  length  of  Jerusalem  on  the 
eastern  side. 

"  This  platform  may  be  one  thousand  feet  in  length 
and  five  to  six  hundred  in  width ;  it  is  nearly  level,  ex- 
cept in  the  centre,  where  it  inclines  imperceptibly,  as  if 
to  call  back  to  the  eye  the  valley  that  formerly  separated 
the  Hill  of  Zion  from  Mount  Moriah. 

"This  beautiful  platform,  without  doubt  formed  by 
nature,  but  evidently  enlarged  by  the  hand  of  man,  was 


204:  THE   NILOMETEK   AND    THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

the  sublime  pedestal  on  which  stood  the  temple  of 
Solomon.  To-day  two  Turkish  mosques  have  taken  its 
place  :  one  is  that  of  Omar,  in  the  centre  of  the  plat- 
form ;  the  other  El-Axa,  at  the  south-eastern  extremity 
touching  the  wall  of  the  city.  The  Mosque  of  Omar, 
an  admirable  edifice  of  Byzantine  architecture,  octagon 
in  form,  of  stone  and  marble,  is  of  immense  dimensions ; 
with  eight  faces,  each  ornamented  with  seven  arcades 
terminated  by  pointed  arches,  and  above  this  first  order 
of  architecture  is  a  terraced  roof,  from  which  project 
some  narrower  arcades,  capped  by  a  graceful  dome, 
covered  with  copper,  formerly  gilt.  The  walls  -are 
incrusted  with  blue  enamel,  and  to  the  right  and  left 
extend  wide  partitions,  terminated  by  light  Moorish 
colonnades  corresponding  to  the  eight  doors  of  the 
mosque. 

"  Beyond  these  disengaged  arches  the  platform  con- 
tinues and  terminates, — one  extremity  at  the  northern 
part  of  the  enclosure,  the  other  at  the  walls  of  the 
southerly  side. 

"  Very  high  cypresses  scattered  about,  some  olive-trees, 
and  green  and  graceful  shrubs  growing  here  and  there 
between  the  mosques,  set  off  their  elegant  architecture, 
and  the  bright  colors  of  the  walls,  by  their  pyramidal 
forms,  and  the  dark  foliage  which  overshadows  the  fa- 
cades of  the  temples  and  the  bright  domes  of  the  city. 

"  Beyond  the  two  mosques,  and  the  site  of  the  temple, 
all  Jerusalem  extends  before  us,  without  permitting 
the  eye  to  lose  a  roof  or  a  stone,  like  the  plan  of  a  city 
in  relief  that  an  artist  would  spread  upon  a  table.  This 
city  is  not,  as  it  had  been  represented  to  us,  a  confused 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  205 

mass  of  ruins  and  ashes,  on  which  are  thrown  some 
Arab  huts,  or  some  Bedouin  tents.  No  ;  it  is  a  city 
bright  with  light  and  color,  presenting  to  the  eye  of  the 
stranger  its  untouched  and  embattled  walls  ;  its  blue 
mosque  with  its  white  colonnade ;  its  thousands  of  glit- 
tering domes  on  which  the  light  of  a  sunny  autum- 
nal day  falls  and  remounts  in  dazzling  vapor ;  the 
facades  of  its  houses  tinted  by  age  with  the  golden  and 
yellow  color  that  distinguishes  the  edifices  of  Psestum 
or  Rome ;  its  old  towers,  keepers  of  its  walls,  of  which 
not  a  stone,  not  a  loop-hole,  not  a  battlement  is  missing. 
"  And  then  in  the  midst  of  that  ocean  of  houses,  and 
that  multitude  of  little  domes  that  cover  them,  one, 
black  and  larger  than  the  others,  presents  itself  over- 
capped  by  another  white  one.  They  are  the  St. 
Sepulchre  and  Calvary,  which  commingle  :  and  drowned 
as  it  were  in  the  immense  labyrinth  of  domes,  edifices, 
and  streets  which  surround  them,  it  is  difficult  to  form 
an  idea  of  their  sites,  which  should  be  on  an  isolated 
hill,  outside  the  walls,  and  not  in  the  midst  of  Jerusa- 
lem. The  city,  narrowed  on  the  side  of  Zion,  has  with- 
out doubt  enlarged  on  the  northern  side,  to  encompass 
within  its  enclosure  the  two  locations  which  make  its 
shame  and  glory :  that  of  the  torture  of  the  Just ;  that 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  Man-God  !  Thus  appears  the 
city  from  the  top  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  ;  it  has  no  hori- 
zon behind  it,  either  on  the  side  of  the  west  or  the  north. 
The  line  of  its  walls  and  towers,  the  spires  of  its  numer- 
ous minarets,  the  arcs  of  its  dazzling  domes,  are  cut  out 
firmly  on  a  blue  oriental  sky,  and  the  city,  thus  pre- 
sented on  her  wide  and  elevated  platform,  seems  still 


206  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

to  he  lighted  up  with  all  the  antique  splendor  of  its 
prophecies,  only  to  await  a  '  word '  to  come  forth,  all 
dazzling,  from  its  seventeen  successive  ruins,  and  become 
that  Jerusalem  which  sprang  from  the  bosom  of  the 
desert  brilliant  with  light." 

The  weather  all  day  has  continued  very  windy,  and 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  resolved  to  take  a 
walk  in  the  city  before  the  closing  of  the  gates,  which 
is  at  six  o'clock.  Aline  and  the  gentlemen  took  their 
horses,  except  Henry  Beadel,  who  remained  with  me, 
as  I  preferred  walking,  feeling  acutely  that  I  had  had, 
too  much  horseback  riding  the  day  before. 

In  going  down  the  steep  path  that  leads  to  the  base 
of  the  mount,  we  passed  before  some  ruins  where  tra- 
dition places  some  of  the  last  scenes  of  the  life  of  our 
Saviour — where  He  taught  "  Our  Father  who  art  in 
heaven"  where  He  predicted  the  ruin  of  Jerusalem, 
etc.,  etc.  As  the  horses  descended  slowly,  we  arrived 
first ;  and  crossing  the  Y  alley  of  Jehoshaphat,  entered  by 
the  St.  Stephen  gate,  and  walked  through  the  French 
and  Mussulman  part  of  the  city,  which  is  far  from  look- 
ing as  inviting  as  we  had  anticipated  from  the  top  of 
the  mount.  The  streets  are  very  narrow,  irregular,  and 
badly  paved ;  occasionally  we  passed  through  dark, 
vaulted  bazars,  with  little  openings  above  to  permit 
light  to  penetrate ;  while  the  walls  of  the  low  arched 
doors  of  many  of  the  houses  were  covered  with  green 
vines,  giving  them  the  aspect  of  old  ruins. 


CHAPTER  XY. 

GARDEN  OF  GETHSEMANE — GEOTTO  OF  AGONY — TOMB  OE  THE 

VIRGIN" HOUSE    OF    MABy's    PARENTS — PEOCESSION    FOE 

MECCA — VIA  DOLOEOSA — HOUSE  OF  PILATE — ECCE  HOMO 
— HOUSES  OF  VEEONICA  AND  THE  "WANDEEESTG  JEW— 
CHURCH    OF  THE    HOLY  SEPULCHEE — THE  TOMB — CHAPEL 

OF  THE  TEUE  CEOSS CALVARY PALM  SUNDAY ON  THE 

WALLS LEPEES. 

Friday,  April  3,  1868. 

(LTERNATELY  cloudy  and  clear  this  morn- 
ing, like  April  weather  in  America. 

Before  descending  the  mount  we  gave  or- 
ders to  have  our  tents  removed  to  a  place  less 
exposed  to  the  wind  and  cold,  and  Joseph  promised  to 
meet  us  in  the  city,  and  take  us  to  our  new  abode. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  entered  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane, 
which  contains  eight  of  the  oldest  olive-trees  of  the 
mount ;  they  are  surrounded  by  a  wall,  and  the  ground 
about  them  has  been  formed  in  flower-plots,  cultivated 
by  the  Roman  Catholic  priests,  who  have  possession  of 
the  garden  and  grotto  near  by.  An  old  monk  pointed 
out  the  tree  where  Christ,  prayed  to  His  Father.  We 
all  sat  down  around  it,  and  received  some  flowers  that 
he  culled,  and  olive  leaves  picked  from  its  sacred 
branches ;  and  when  the  gentlemen  had  left  us,  to  wan- 
der about  the  place,  Aline  and  I  gave  vent  to  the  re- 


208  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

ligious  feelings  that  had  taken  possession  of  us,  and  both 
prayed  fervently.  Upon  leaving  the  Garden  the  monk 
showed  us  the  place  where  Christ  told  His  disciples  to 
"  watch  and  pray  ;  "  and  afterwards  the  Grotto  of  Agony, 
where  Christ  passed  several  hours  before  His  arrest, 

We  could  almost  imagine  that  only  a  short  time  had 
elapsed  since  the  agony  of  the  Divine  Son ;  since  it  is 
in  its  natural  state,  except  that  a  chapel  has  been  erect- 
ed, and  paintings  of  the  disciples,  and  of  Christ,  are 
hung  about  the  walls. 

Leaving  the  Grotto,  we  passed  before  the  Tomb  of  the 
Virgin,  which  was  formerly  part  of  a  church  and  con- 
vent erected  by  Godfrey  de  Bouillon.  The  convent 
was  destroyed  in  11 S7  by  Saladin,  but  the  church  was 
spared,  on  account  of  the  veneration  the  Mussulmans 
profess  for  the  blessed  Virgin.  It  belongs  now  to  the 
Greeks  and  Armenians,  and  is  only  open  a  short  time 
every  morning.  Entering  the  city,  the  guide  showed 
us  what  is  called  the  "Baths  of  Mary  ;"  also  where  the 
house  stood,  according  to  tradition,  occupied  by  Mary's 
parents,  and  where  she  was  born. 

In  going  to  Jerusalem  you  must  prepare  your  mind 
to  listen  to  all  the  stories  that  dragomen,  guides,  and 
priests  have  for  so  many  years  invented  for  the  traveller  ; 
and  in  remembering  how  many  times  Jerusalem  has 
been  destroyed  and  rebuilt,  one  is  convinced  of  the  un- 
certainty that  must  exist  as  to  the  exact  position  of 
sacred  places.  There  is  no  doubt  about  the  localities  of 
Mount  Zion,  the  Valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  Mount  Moriah, 
and  Gethsemane ;  but  for  the  rest,  let  us  be  thankful  to 
be  permitted  to  tread  "  the  sacred  soil." 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  209 

As  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  are  closed  during  the  mid- 
day hour  of  prayer,  and  as  that  time  was  approaching, 
our  guide  advised  us  to  repass  the  portals  that  we  might 
see  a  procession  about  departing  for  Mecca.  Adjoining 
the  walls  of  the  city  the  ground  is  covered  with  sepulchral 
enclosures,  and  we  entered  one  of  these  to  screen  our- 
selves from  the  keen  wind,  and  soon  forgot  the  weather 
in  looking  at  the  strange  spectacle  before  us.  All  the 
hillocks  around  were  covered  with  hundreds  of  persons, 
dressed  in  their  holiday  garments;  the  women  wrapt  in 
long  white  veils  and  their  faces  masked  ;  the  men  and 
children  in  various  bright  costumes.  As  we  are  ap- 
proaching the  Holy-week,  the  place  is  crowded  with 
Europeans,  and  all  around  we  could  see  French,  Eng- 
lish, and  Americans  ;  and  here  we  had  the  pleasure  of 
again  meeting  General  Darling,  and  also  Mr.  Standish 
and  Captain  Hoare,  accompanied  by  the  Marchioness  of 
Ely.  After  viewing  the  procession,  which  comprised 
only  the  devotees,  escorted  by  two  regiments  of  soldiers 
with  a  few  flags,  we  re-entered  the  city  to  follow  the 
Via  Dolorosa — divided  into  fourteen  stations,  commenc- 
ing near  the  St.  Stephen  gate  and  ending  at  Calvary — 
where  tradition  locates  tlie  last  acts  of  the  life  of  Christ. 

The  guide  called  our  attention  to  a  sculptured  door, 
that  opened  on  the  palace  of  Pontius  Pilate,  near  some 
remains  of  the  tower  of  Antonia.  Passing  before  the 
convent  of  the  Flagellation,  we  entered  into  the  chapel 
where  Christ  was  crowned  with  thorns,  and  as  it  was 
raining,  we  leisurely  examined  the  sacred  paintings 
which  represent  the  stations.  Thence  we  visited  the 
arch  of  " Ecce  Homo''''  (Behold  the  man  !).     At  the  ex- 


210  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOLL. 

tremity  of  the  street,  a  broken  column  marks  the  first 
fall  of  our  Lord,  and  a  few  steps  farther  on  are  the 
ruins  of  a  Gothic  chapel  where  the  Yirgin  fainted.  We 
were  shown  also  the  house  of  Veronica,  and  opposite, 
that  of  the  "Wandering  Jew ;  also  the  place  where  Si- 
mon the  Cyrenian  took  charge  of  the  cross ;  and  farther 
a  gray  stone  column  that  marks  the  place  of  the  second 
fall.  Still  fifty  steps  farther,  another  place  where  He 
spake  these  words :  "  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not 
for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves,  and  for  your  children  " 
(St.  Luke  xxiii.  28).  Lastly,  after  stopping  a  moment 
before  the  two  columns  that  indicate  the  place  of  the 
third  fall,  a  narrow  street  led  us  directly  to  the  Church 
of  the  Holy  Sepulchre. 

We  entered  the  building,  passing  before  a  guard  of 
Turkish  soldiers  seated  on  divans  at  the  entrance,  who 
ask  a  small  backsheesh  from  each  visitor,  and  followed 
the  crowd  of  pilgrims,  who  had  come  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  to  assist  in  the  devotions  appertaining  to 
Holy-week. 

Near  the  door,  and  almost  on  a  level  with  the  floor, 
a  large  red  rectangular  marble  slab,  which  the  devo- 
tees were  kneeling  before  and  kissing,  marks  the  spot 
where  the  body  of  Christ  was  deposited  after  his  death, 
and  washed  with  perfumes  by  the  holy  women.  It 
belongs  jointly  to  the  Latins,  Greeks,  and  Armenians. 
Onward  a  few  more  steps  is  the  place  where  the  Yirgin 
stood  during  the  embalming  of  her  son ;  and  thence  we 
penetrated  into  the  Rotunda  or  St.  Sepulchre. 

Here  we  had  to  await  our  turn  to  enter  the  Tomb,  as 
it  is  only  large  enough  to  hold  about  three  persons  at  a 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  211 

time.  Before  it  is  a  vestibule,  called  the  Chapel  of  the 
Angel,  because,  according  to  tradition,  it  was  here  that 
the  angel  announced  the  resurrection  to  the  holy  women. 
The  Chapel  of  the  Tomb  is  only  about  six  feet  square, 
entirely  inlaid  with  marble,  and  ornamented  with  two 
pictures,  and  forty-two  lamps  of  gold  and  silver.  A 
priest  is  constantly  in  attendance,  burning  perfumes, 
lighting  tapers,  and  receiving  alms  from  travellers. 

There  were  so  many  waiting  their  turn,  that  Aline, 
Mr.  Rogers,  and  myself,  who  entered  at  the  same  time, 
could  not  remain  so  long  as  we  wished ;  we  ladies  there- 
fore promised  ourselves  to  return  soon,  and  get  permission 
from  the  Greek  Patriarch  to  enter  alone.  Directly  facing 
the  sepulchre  is  the  Greek  church  or  chapel,  occupjdng 
the  great  nave  of  the  edifice,  in  the  middle  of  which  is 
a  small  column,  indicating  the  centre  of  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  and  whence  the  clay  was  taken  to  form  the  first 
man. 

After  visiting  various  chapels,  of  which  the  most 
interesting  was  perhaps  that  of  St.  Helena,  where 
tradition  says  she  found  the  remains  of  the  true  cross, 
and  which  is  excavated  within  the  rock  beneath  the 
building,  we  repaired  to  Calvary,  a  platform  of  about 
fifteen  yards  square,  whose  base  is  the  solid  rock.  It  is 
divided  into  two  chapels  :  that  of  the  Crucifixion,  belong- 
ing to  the  Greeks,  and  that  of  the  Elevation  of  the 
Cross,  to  the  Latins.  A  split  in  the  rock,  which,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  opened  when  Christ  expired,  is  covered 
by  a  silver  trellis. 

Before  leaving  the  church  we  visited  the  tomb  of 
Joseph  of  Arimathea, — situated  in  the  wall  west  of  the 


212  THE   ISTILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED   SODL. 

Rotunda, — as  well  as  the  sepulchre  of  Nicodemus,  dug 
within  the  rock. 

It  was  quite  late  when  we  arrived  at  our  encampment, 
located  in  a  valley  near  the  Damascus  gate,  surrounded 
by  tents  bearing  flags  of  different  nations,  and  on  a  hill 
behind  us  we  saw  those  of  Mr.  Standish  and  the  Mar- 
chioness of  Ely. 

Saturday,  April  4. 

The  weather  has  been  bad  through  the  night;  it 
rained,  and  the  wind  blew  with  such  violence  that  Mr. 
Beadel's  tent  was  partially  thrown  down,  and  at  seven 
o'clock  ours  collapsed  on  the  side  occupied  by  Aline  and 
Tom.  Rain  continued  all  day,  and  obliged  us  to  stay 
at  home ;  but  the  novelty  of  such  a  life  made  us  take 
our  present  discomforts  quite  gayly.  A  brasier  filled 
with  live  coals  was  placed  in  each  tent  to  keep  us  warm, 
and  the  day  passed  in  reading,  sleeping,  and  chatting. 

In  the  afternoon  we  heard  near  by,  a  fresh  arrival  of 
mules,  and  soon  there  was  a  new  encampment,  display- 
ing the  American  flag.  "While  we  were  conjecturing  who 
were  the  occupants  one  of  the  party,  Mr.  Dow,  our  old 
Nile  acquaintance  of  the  Cleopatra,  made  his  appearance. 
He  had  just  returned  with  his  wife,  Mr.  Briggs,  and 
Mrs.  Sherer  from  a  tour  to  the  Jordan  and  Dead  Sea. 
Two  hours  passed  most  agreeably,  speaking  of  by-gone 
days  upon  the  Nile,  and  a  good  dinner  and  game  of 
whist  completed  the  day. 

Sunday,  April  G. 

The  weather  is  more  pleasant  this  morning,  though 
the  sky  is  overcast.     At  ten  o'clock  we  re-entered  the 


THE    KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  213 

Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  attended  the  mass  of 
the  Copts  and  (3-reek  Catholics. 

It  being  Palm-Sunday,  the  crowd  was  dense,  and 
almost  every  one  carried  in  his  hand  a  branch  of  palm. 
One  of  the  Turkish  guard  cleared  the  way  for  us,  and 
took  us  behind  the  priests,  who  were  in  procession,  stop- 
ping at  all  the  holy  places  on  their  way  to  the  Sepulchre. 
They  gave  us  each  a  palm-branch  and  some  girqflees 
from  a  basket  of  blessed  flowers  which  they  carried. 
Latin,  Greek,  Armenian,  Catholic,  each  rite  had  its  turn  ; 
as  soon  as  one  was  ended  the  Turkish  guard  would 
make  room  for  another. 

To-day,  Aline  and  I  were  permitted  to  again  enter  the 
Holy  Sepulchre ;  the  door  was  closed  behind  us,  and  we 
stood  once  more  before  the  tomb  of  our  Saviour.  Our 
hearts  were  full,  and  overflowed  in  prayer.  We  kissed 
the  marble  stone,  permitted  the  priest  in  attendance  to 
burn  perfumes  and  light  tapers  for  the  welfare  of  our 
Catholic  friends  far  away,  and  then  slowly  withdrew  to 
make  room  for  the  rest  of  our  party. 

"While  occupied  looking  at  the  multitude,  a  sight 
always  interesting  to  a  stranger  who  never  tires  of  the 
variety  of  costume,  we  were  accosted  by  the  two  Misses 
Potter,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Sherer,  their  governess, 
and  the  courier,  and  with  them  again  visited  different 
chapels ;  but,  as  the  crowd  was  so  great,  and  the  mass 
of  pilgrims  in  such  a  filthy  condition  as  made  their  close 
proximity  very  unpleasant,  we  made  for  the  door,  found 
our  horses  and  attendants  awaiting  us,  returned  to  our 
camp,  and  all  participated  in  a  good  lunch. 

In  the  afternoon  we  took  a  long  and  interesting  walk 


214  THE   NILOMETEK   A5TD   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

upon  the  walls,  thus  getting  a  better  view  of  all  parts 
of  the  city,  though  occasionally  some.of  us  felt  quite 
giddy.  Under  one  part  where  we  passed  were  a  colony 
of  lepers — miserable  descendants  of  Gehazi,  the  unfaith- 
ful servant  of  Elisha,  who  was  cursed  with  the  leprosy 
of  Naaman  "to  cleave  unto  him  and  his  seed  forever," 
and  who  overwhelmed  us  with  their  lamentations  and 
prayers  for  backsheesh.  The  sight  was  extremely  dis- 
tressing, and  we  hurried  to  get  past,  although  we  had 
already  seen  some  outside  the  city  gates,  where  numbers 
are  constantly  lying  in  the  sun,  stretching  out  their 
hands  to  the  traveller  for  alms. 

ISTear  the  mosque  of  Omar  we  had  to  deviate  from  our 
route,  as  it  is  strictly  forbidden  for  the  giaour  to  look 
inside,  except  at  stated  times,  and  then  only  under 
guard.  Mr.  Rogers  would  not  listen  to  the  guide,  but 
continued  on  :  soon,  however,  he  returned,  informing  us 
that  he  had  been  assailed  with  stones. 

After  returning  to  our  camp,  Charles  and  Henry 
Beadel  accompanied  Aline  for  a  ride  in  the  country ; 
Mr.  Beadel,  Sr.,  and  Mr.  Rogers  remained  together ; 
Tom  went  to  take  a  nap,  while  I  seated  myself  outside 
the  tent  and  arranged  some  flowers  for  our  albums. 
The  weather  was  becoming  settled ;  the  sun  shone 
brightly  on  our  olive-trees ;  birds  were  singing  among 
their  branches,  the  mules  and  horses  resting  in  the  shade ; 
the  cook  was  preparing  dinner,  while  the  two  servants 
and  some  muleteers  were  seated  in  a  group,  talking 
and  smoking ;  the  sound  of  church  bells  announcing 
vespers  would  come  quite  distinct  to  the  ear,  and  often 
I  would    stop  working,   rest    my  head   on    my  hand, 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  215 

and  gaze  upon  the  picture  spread  before  me,  so  that, 
when  hack  in  my  quiet  home,  I  could  close  my  eyes  and 
again  see  it  as  it  then  was.  May  it  also  bring  back  the 
sweet  emotions  felt  in  that  quiet  hour  ! 

When  again  together,  we  received  a  visit  from  Mr. 
Standish,  who  came  to  wish  us  "  good-by,"  as  he  and 
his  friend  proposed  to  start  the  day  after  for  Hebron, 
Mar-Saba,  the  Dead  Sea,  and  Jordan,  desiring  to  be 
back  for  Easter  Sunday. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

TOMB   OF   THE   VIRGIN — TOMBS   OF   THE   PROPHETS — SDIOAj^ 

FOUNTAIN  OF   THE   VIRGIN" — POOL   OF   SILOAM — MOUNT 

ZION — TOMB    OF    DAVID  —  W  AILING-PLACE   OF   THE   JEWS 

QUARRIES JOAB'S    WELL PALESTINE    EXPLORATIONS 

— THE     SPRING     OF     THE     ARCH TYROPCEAN    VALLEY — 

ANCIENT   HALLS   AND   AQUEDUCTS. 

Monday,  April  6,  1868. 

T  eight  o'clock  we  were  off  to  visit  the  Tomb 
of  the  Virgin,  and  as  it  was  the  first  time 
since  our  arrival  that  the  weather  was  really 
fine,  and  the  skies  without  a  cloud,  we  en- 
joyed our  walk  exceedingly. 

Why  did  I  feel  so  happy,  why  so  light,  so  full  of  life, 
that  it  seemed  as  if  my  feet  scarcely  touched  the  ground, 
as  I  walked  quietly  near  my  companions  ?  Are  Jerusa- 
lem and  its  surroundings  so  grand,  so  beautiful  ?  As  I 
have  already  said,  the  city  itself  is  far  from  being  hand- 
some; the  streets  are  narrow,  irregular,  badly  paved, 
and  the  part  where  the  Jews  live  is  so  dirty,  nay,  more 
than  dirty, — filthy, — and  the  odor  so  abominable,  that 
when  passing  through  we  would  even  accelerate  the 
gait  of  our  horses. 

The  surroundings  I  can  describe  in  a  few  words  : — 
hills  without    shade,  valleys  without    water,  a  stony 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL,  217 

earth  with  here  and  there  a  patch  of  green,  a  clump  of 
olive-trees,  throwing  a  little  shade  on  the  steep  hill- 
side, and, — that  is  all :  all  for  the  traveller  who  looks 
unimpassioned  on  these  things ;  but  for  one  like  myself, 
possessing  an  enthusiastic  temperament,  there  was  much 
poetry  in  all  I  beheld.  The  walls  of  Jerusalem  that  we 
were  following  are  very  picturesque,  and  along  the 
roadside  are  many  Mussulman  cemeteries,  strewn  with 
bright  wild-flowers,  bathed  with  the  morning  dew  and 
sparkling  in  the  sunshine,  where  we  could  see  veiled 
women,  dressed  in  white,  engaged  in  prayer  and  talking 
with  the  spirits  of  their  dead ;  men  sitting  on  tombs, 
surrounded  by  women  and  children,  were  singing  some 
pious  verses  ;  then  suddenly  a  cavalcade  would  start  up 
before  us,  going  on  their  pilgrimage  to  the  Dead  Sea 
and  Jordan  ;  and  in  approaching  Gethsemane  we  saw 
the  hillocks  crowded  with  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
who  had  come  to  witness  a  procession,  starting  for  the 
Tomb  of  Moses.  As  the  sun  lightens  all  this,  observe 
the  deep  blue  sky  above  ;  enjoy  the  light  breeze  which 
flutters  the  ends  of  our  white  turbans,  and  say,  was  it 
not  more  than  delightful ;  was  it  not  grand  and  glori- 
ous ?  r 

We  found  so  great  a  crowd  of  pilgrims  at  the  Virgin's 
Tomb,  that  it  was  with  much  trouble  we  could  force  an 
entrance.  Soon  I  lost  sight  of  all  my  companions  ex- 
cept Henry  Beadel,  whose  arm  I  had  taken,  and  we 
advanced  only,  it  seemed  to  us,  by  inches.  A  wide 
staircase  of  an  hundred  steps  leads  to  the  church  be- 
low, but   the   difficulty  was  to  force  a  way    through 

the  dense  and  suffocating  crowd.     For  a  few  moments 
10 


218  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SAORED    SOIL. 

our  eyesight  failed  us,  as  we  had  not  yet  become 
accustomed  to  the  sudden  transition  from  bright  day- 
light to  the  deep  gloom  of  this  subterranean  hall ;  but 
soon  our  eyes  grew  familiar  with  it,  and  the  spectacle 
that  greeted  the  view  was  indeed  strange  and  grand. 
Beneath  us  were  thousands  of  people,  and  away  on  the 
altar,  far  below,  hundreds  of  lights,  making  a  scene 
fit  for  the  pencil  of  Rembrandt. 

It  took  us  more  than  an  hour  to  go  down,  and  in  fact 
we  were  about  giving  it  up,  when  we  saw  Mr.  Rogers 
returning,  who  assisted  in  clearing  the  way  for  us.  We 
followed  him  closely,  and  soon  stood  before  the  tomb, 
where  a  priest  offered  what  appeared  to  me  to  be  a 
Bible,  to  kiss :  a  book  which  Tie  said  was  from  the  time 
of  Christ.  "We  visited  also  two  other  chapels,  said  to 
contain  the  tombs  of  the  Yirgin's  parents,  St.  Joachim 
and  St.  Anne,  and  thence  forced  our  way  from  the 
sacred  cavern  through  the  filthiest  crowd  that  it  was 
ever  my  lot  to  form  part  of. 

Having  enjoyed  a  substantial  meal,  we  took  horses 
and  went  again  on  the  Mount  of  Olives ;  then  visited 
some  sepulchres  called  the  Tombs  of  the  Prophets,  and 
going  down  to  the  Valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  stopped  before 
the  so-called  tombs  of  Absalom,  Jehoshaphat,  and  Zacha- 
riah,  which  are  cut  in  the  hill-side,  near  Siloam,  and  are 
certainly  antique. 

The  bed  of  the  torrent  Ivedron,  on  our  left,  is  entirely 
dry;  and  all  the  ground,  as  far  as  the  village  of  Siloam, 
is  but  a  large  Jewish  cemetery,  covering  the  side 
of  the  valley.  Siloam  is  picturesquely  situated,  being  a 
mass  of  houses  built  in  terraces  on  the  sides  and  peak  of 


Absalom's  Tomb.—  See  page  218. 


THE   NILOMETER,   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  219 

a  rock,  and  under  which  are  large  caves,  formerly  tombs, 
but  which  have  been  converted  into  storehouses  and 
habitations. 

Opposite  Siloam  is  the  Fountain  of  the  Virgin,  so 
named  from  a  tradition  which  says  that  here  she  came 
to  wash  the  linen  of  her  Divine  Son.  The  fountain  is 
an  excavation  cut  in  a  rock,  with  a  descent  by  a  stair- 
way of  thirty  steps,  divided  into  two  parts  by  a  vaulted 
room.  The  interior  grotto  has  a  depth  of  about 
eight  yards ;  the  water  runs  into  a  basin  five  yards  in 
length  by  two  in  width,  and  of  the  same  depth,  and 
disappears  into  a  subterranean  canal  which  carries  it  to 
the  Pool  of  Siloam,  not  far  distant. 

Thither  we  then  repaired,  and  did  not  leave  without 
tasting  its  waters ;  for  here  it  was  that  Christ  made  the 
blind  man  to  see ;  and  since  then  the  popular  tradition 
has  always  caused  a  belief  in  its  marvellous  effects  in  the 
cure  of  ophthalmia. 

Leaving  the  pool  we  gradually  ascended  Mount  Zion, 
where  the  palace  of  King  David  once  was ;  where  his 
tomb  now  is.  But  the  religious  fanaticism  of  its  guar- 
dians is  such  that  Christians  are  not  allowed  to  enter, 
and  we  had  to  content  ourselves  with  visiting  parts  of 
the  basilica  which  covers  it.  Built  in  the  ninth  cen- 
tury, under  Adrian,  destroyed  by  the  Sultan  El-Haken, 
it  was  in  ruins  at  the  end  of  the  eleventh  century,  but 
rebuilt  under  the  Crusaders,  and  at  last  the  Mussulmans 
took  and  have  kept  possession  of  it.  The  guide  showed 
us  a  room  where,  according  to  tradition,  the  Last  Supper 
took  place;  another  where  the  washing  of  His  feet  was 
performed  by  the  Magdalen ;    a  column  where  Christ 


220  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

was  tied  and  flagellated;  a  room  where  the  Yirgin  died, 
etc.,  etc.,  all  of  which  was  so  much  more  than  doubtful 
that  it  was  with  pleasure  we  returned  to  our  tents,  where 
we  found  dinner  awaiting  us. 

Tuesday,  April  7 

To-day  we  visited  the  Tombs  of  the  Kings,  the  Tombs 
of  the  Judges,  and  the  Wailing-place  of  the  Jews.  This 
ceremony  of  wailing  is  a  sight  that  would  be  ridiculous, 
if  the  comedy  was  not  drowned  in  their  sincere  devo- 
tion. Standing  without  the  walls  of  the  enclosure  of 
the  temple,  the  men  on  one  side,  while  the  women  are 
on  the  other,  a  rabbi,  with  book  in  hand,  was  praying  and 
reading;  imploring  God  to  drive  out  the  infidel  and 
permit  His  chosen  people  to  reoccupy  the  sacred  mount ; 
and  soon  became  so  excited  that  he  commenced  to  cry 
and  sob,  and  then  all  his  followers  joined  therein. 
They  are  so  much  in  earnest  that  you  cannot  help  pity- 
ing them,  and  wish  that  a  Divine  pardon  might  permit 
them  to  re-enter  the  temple  whence  they  expelled  the 
Master. 

Upon  leaving  this  place,  we  went  to  look  at  the 
remaining  part  of  an  arch,  belonging  to  the  viaduct 
which  crossed  the  valley  between  Mounts  Moriah  and 
Zion,  connecting  the  king's  palace  and  the  temple  area. 
This  is  known  as  the  "  Spring  of  Robinson's  Arch,"  of 
which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  more  hereafter. 

Wednesday,  April  8. 
Every  one  of  the  party,  except  Tom,  being  dissatis- 


THE   NILOHETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  221 

fled  with  the  horses  which  we  had  obtained  at  Jaffa, 
Joseph  was  ordered  to  furnish  a  fresh  supply.  Accord- 
ingly a  number  were  brought  into  camp,  and  from  them 
we  ladies  had  the  choice. 

Tom  selected  for  Aline  a  beautiful  sorrel  mare,  a 
most  graceful  creature,  with  fine  limbs  and  glossy  hide  ; 
and  for  me  a  small,  lively,  dark  gray  horse,  so  quick 
that  at  first  I  was  afraid  of  him,  and  the  splendid 
animal  seemed  to  know  it,  for  instead  of  mastering  him 
he  mastered  me  ;  and  though  Tom  tells  me  to  use  the 
whip,  and  make  him  obey,  I  have  commenced  to  love 
and  cannot  bear  the  idea  of  punishing  him. 

"We  have  already  passed  nine  days  in  Jerusalem — a 
longer  time  than  the  generality  of  travellers  occupy ; 
for  after  giving  six  days  to  the  Holy  City,  it  is  usual 
to  start  on  the  trip  to  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  Jordan ; 
returning  thence  to  tarry  a  few  days  more  before 
going  north. 

We  have  seen  very  little  of  our  dragoman  lately, 
and  are  not  pleased  to  hear  that  within  a  few  days 
he  has  gambled  away  one  hundred  and  twenty  napole- 
ons, part  of  the  money  which  we  have  advanced  to 
him;  and  we  are  told  that  it  will  be  impossible  for 
him  to  fulfil  his  contract. 

This  morning  we  visited  the  quarries,  which  are  very 
extensive,  reaching  for  miles  under  the  city ;  immense 
rooms,  supported  by  natural  columns,  have  in  their  par- 
titions openings  which  lead  into  other  rooms  as  large  ; 
while  in  various  places  confused  masses  of  heaped  up 
rocks,  a  chaos  of  enormous  calcareous  boulders,  rolled 
pell-mell  together,  meet  your  eye.     Other  blocks  hang 


222  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

perpendicularly  from  the  ceiling,  and  the  measure  of 
the  empty  places  left  by  the  stones  taken  away,  coin- 
cide with  the  enormous  masses  in  the  wall  of  the  tem- 
ple court.  Having  taken  a  walk  within  of  nearly  half 
a  mile,  we  returned  to  the  light  of  heaven,  mounted 
our  horses,  rode  past  the  Pool  of  Siloam,  and  visited 
farther  on,  located  in  the  valley  between  the  Mounts  of 
Scandel  and  of  Bad  Advice,  Joab's  "Well — Bir-Eyoub — 
the  ancient  En-Rogel,  called  by  some  Nehemiah's  Well, 
because  tradition  says  that  this  prophet  found  therein 
the  sacred  fire  which  had  been  hidden  during  the  Baby- 
lonian captivity. 

En-Eogel  marked  the  dividing  line  of  the  tribes  of 
Judah  and  Benjamin.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  history 
of  Absalom,  and  when  Adonijah,  son  of  David,  aspired 
to  supplant  Solomon,  it  was  there  he  assembled  his 
partisans.  This  well  is  beneath  a  square  building, 
open  on  its  eastern  face,  and  on  the  right  is  a  square 
basin,  partially  filled  with  stagnant  water.  It  has  a 
depth  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  feet,  and  its 
masonry  shows  stones  of  very  large  dimensions,  which 
appear  to  be  very  ancient.  Medjr-el-Din  says  that  at 
the  bottom  is  a  lateral  cave  whence  the  water  issues, 
and  when  the  winter  has  been  very  wet  the  water 
of  this  well  springs  out  in  the  beginning  of  January, 
and  this  sign  of  a  good  harvest  is  celebrated  by  a  feast 
of  several  days  around  Bir-Eyoub,  and  the  Kedron  then 
becomes  a  real  torrent. 

On  our  way  back  the  guide  pointed  out  to  us,  on  a 
hill-side,  the  tree  whereon  Judas  hanged  himself. 

As  soon  as  we  had  taken  our  lunch  we  started  for 


THE   NILOMETER   AJSTD   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  223 

the  Mediterranean  Hotel,  having  an  appointment  with 
Lient.  Warren  of  the  Royal  Engineers  to  visit  the  exca- 
vations. 

In  the  year  1865,  by  the  liberality  of  Miss  Burdett 
Coutts,  a  fund  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  Captain 
Wilson,  R.  E.,  for  the  purpose  of  explorations  in  and 
about  Palestine,  in  order  to  satisfactorily  locate  various 
places  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  thereby  arriving  at 
a  more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  customs  of  the  times 
and  the  habits  of  the  people,  making  plain  many  pas- 
sages hitherto  ambiguous,  and  clearing  away  the  doubts 
of  ages  upon  many  disputed  points  and  subjects. 

A  matter  of  such  vast  importance  to  the  historian, 
the  geologist,  the  architect,  the  antiquarian,  the  sculptor, 
the  engineer,  and  the  theologian,  soon  excited  the  atten- 
tion of  numbers,  who,  if  not  members  of  either  of  the 
above  enumerated  callings,  still  were  attracted  by  that 
something  implanted  in  the  minds  of  all,  a  curiosity  to 
know  correctly  men  and  things  existing  in  the  earlier 
ages  of  the  world  ;  a  desire  that  might  satisfy  the  skep- 
tical and  confirm  the  believer. 

A  society  for  this  purpose  was  accordingly  formed, 
known  as  the  "  Palestine  Exploration  Fund,"  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Archbishop  of  York,  the  Dukes  of  Ar- 
gyle,  Devonshire,  and  others,  and  under  the  patronage 
of  her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain.  The  work 
commenced  by  Miss  Coutts  was  therefore  continued  in 
various  parts  of  the  Holy  Land,  bringing  to  light  many 
remarkable  relics  ;  but  the  most  interesting  exhumations 
have  been  those  in  and  about  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and 
more  particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Harem  area3  or 


224  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

site  of  the  Temple  of  Solomon,  and  in  the  Tyropoeon 
valley,  separating  Mount  Moriah  from  the  king's  palace 
on  Mount  Zion. 

On  the  exterior  surface  of  the  Harem  wall,  and  facing 
Zion,  a  slight  projection  or  bulging  out  had  frequently 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  savants,  and  was  supposed 
to  have  been  caused  at  some  remote  period  by  an  earth- 
quake. 

Robinson,  however,  contrary  to  the  received  opinion, 
at  once  pronounced  it  to  be  the  spring  of  an  arch. 
"Dig  down,"  said  he,  "  fifty  feet  from  this  wall,  and 
you  will  find  a  pier  which  supported  the  other  portion." 
This  theory,  derided  by  all,  has  proved  correct ;  for  the 
pier  has  been  found  within  six  inches  of  the  position 
designated,  and  it  is  now  generally  believed  that  a  suc- 
cession of  these  arches  spanned  the  Tyropoeon  valley, 
supporting  a  viaduct  over  which  Solomon  escorted  the 
Queen  of  Sheba  when  he  showed  to  her  the  riches  and 
wonders  of  his  capital  and  the  magnificence  of  the 
Temple. 

This  was  one  of  the  first  results  obtained,  since  which 
other  excavations  have  disclosed  large  chambers,  pas- 
sages, aqueducts,  and  granaries,  whose  uses  are  still 
shrouded  in  mystery  :  but  as  the  work  progresses  these 
riddles  will  be  solved  ;  the  earthy  pall,  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  feet  in  depth  removed,  and  the  skeleton  ex- 
posed, which  the  genius  of  the  engineer  and  architect 
"will  rehabilitate,  giving  us  a  perfect  idea  of  edifices  as 
they  existed  in  all  their  glory  thousands  of  years  before 
our  era. 

As  Aline  thought  the  task  too  arduous,  she  remained 


THE    KILOMETER-   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  225 

at  the  camp,  and  Messrs.  Henry  Beadel,  Si*,  and  Jr., 
Mr.  Rogers,  Mr.  Ferris,  and  I,  met  Lieut.  Warren  (who 
has  succeeded  Captain  Wilson)  according  to  appoint- 
ment, and  with  several  workmen  proceeded  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  Wailing-place  of  the  Jews,  near  the  south- 
western corner  of  the  Temple  area,  wdiere  the  most 
interesting  works  are  now  in  progress. 

Each  one  being  provided  with  a  candle,  we  entered 
a  passage-way  cut  in  the  hill-side,  and  soon  passed 
down  a  rough  ladder  and  into  a  good-sized  hall, 
thence. through  various  passages  where  the  workmen  had 
cut  through  massive  walls — sometimes  crawling  on 
hands  and  knees  through  mud  emitting  a  most  disagree- 
able odor,  composed  as  it  was  of  the  drippings  and  sew- 
erage of  the  city  above. 

At  one  place  a  succession  of  arches  denoted  the  posi- 
tion of  a  causeway,  and  it  would  appear  as  though  it 
had  become  too  narrow  for  its  uses  and  had  been  widen- 
ed ;  but  the  new  part  was  carried  on  arches  of  a  smaller 
radius  than  the  older,  and  of  course  the  piers  were 
nearer  together.  The  reason  for  this  incongruity  is 
yet  to  be  explained. 

At  another  place  we  traced  for  some  distance  an  aque- 
duct, probably  intended  and  used  to  conduct  water 
from  the  Pools  of  Solomon  to  the  Temple ;  but  why, 
then,  was  another  one,  running  parallel  with  the  former, 
but  at  a  level  some  three  or  four  feet  lower  ? 

Having  wandered  through  these  wonderful  subterra- 
nean ruins  for  a  couple  of  hours — at  one  time  being  held 
by  the  arms  and  dropped  down  a  black  pit,  whose  (to  me) 

unknown  depth  fortunately  proved  but  slight ;  at  an- 
10* 


226  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

other  time  tied  in  a  chair  and  lowered  some  forty  feet, 
by  means  of  a  crank  and  rope — we  were  glad  at  last  to 
regain  and  once  more  freely  breathe  the  pure  air  of 
heaven. 

Having  made  our  exit  by  the  shaft  which  we  had 
previously  descended,  the  seat  unslung,  and  all  about 
to  depart,  we  were  astonished  to  hear  a  sepulchral  voice 
from  the  bottom  of  the  pit :  "  Are  you  not  going  to 
send  down  the  chair  %  "  Startling  as  was  its  effect,  we 
almost  instantly  recognized  the  voice  as  that  of  Mr. 
Rogers,  who  was  quietly  waiting  his  turn  to  be  hauled 
up,  but  whom  by  some  inadvertence  we  had  supposed  to 
be  already  on  the  surface.  lie  versing  the  crank  again, 
and  unwinding  the  rope,  we  requested  the  speaker  to 
take  the  chair,  and  soon  received  his  resignation,  as  he 
said  he  preferred  to  be  a  member  at  large.  But  a  few 
minutes  more  and  he  would  have  had  the  doubtful 
gratification  of  passing  the  night  in  company  with  the 
shades  of  the  kings  and  patriarchs  of  yore. 

Having  subscribed  to  the  "  Fund,"  and  thanked  the 
Lieutenant  for  his  urbanity,  we  returned  to  our  tents, 
where  our  first  care  was  to  get  a  thorough  cleaning, 
much  needed  by  all  the  party,  after  which  Tom  and  I 
went  to  the  French  bazars  shopping,  and  on  our  way 
home  met  Lord  and  Lady  Conyngham,  who  had  just 
returned  from  Petra. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MOSQUE  OP  OMAE — MOSQUE  OF  EL- AX  A — SOLOMON'S  TEM- 
PLE—  GEEEK  FLEE — EACHEl's  TOMB — HEBEON — CAVE  OF 
MACHPELAH— TOMB  OF  ABEAHAM  AND  SAEAH — ABRA- 
HAM'S OAK — POOLS  OF  SOLOMON — BETHLEHEM — CHURCH 
OF   THE   NATIVITY — BERTH    OF   CHEIST. 

Thursday,  April  9,  1868. 

|NOTHER  pleasant  day,  and  we  accompanied 
Tom  to  the  Tomb  of  the  Virgin,  the  Garden 
of  Gethsemane,  and  the  Tomb  of  Absalom, 
of  which  he  took  views. 
We  remained  a  long  time  in  the  Garden,  for,  being 
Holy  Thursday,  it  was  crowded  with  a  procession  of  pil- 
grims, coming  to  pray  before  the  Tree  of  Our  Saviour, 
and  receive  from  the  hand  of  the  guardian  some  olive- 
leaves  and  flowers.  Our  old  friend  the  priest  appeared 
delighted  to  see  us  again,  and  still  more  so  when  we 
told  him  we  wanted  him  to  stand  with  us  for  the  picture 
Tom  wished  to  take.  We  roamed  for  one  hour  through 
the  grounds,  praying,  dreaming,  chatting;  and  then, 
the  doors  having  been  locked,  to  permit  Mr.  Ferris 
to  take  his  view,  we  grouped  around  the  Holy  Tree, 
recommending  our  old  friend  to  remain  quiet,  which 
he  promised  to  do.  "  One,  two,  three ! "  said  Tom, 
and   every    one   took   a  statue-like    appearance;    but 


22S  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

we  could  hardly  keep  serious  when  we  saw  the  old 
priest  moving  his  head,  while  turning  his  beads  with 
one  hand  and  crossing  himself  with  the  other.  "  I  am 
sure  this  view  is  spoiled,"  said  Tom  ;  but  when  devel- 
oped, to  our  astonishment,  though  a  little  dim,  the 
face  of  our  priest  was  perfectly  visible,  which  made  him 
feel  both  proud  and  happy. 

Having  rewarded  him  with  a  good  backsheesh,  we 
left  for  Absalom's  Tomb,  and  at  five  o'clock  returned 
to  our  encampment. 

Friday,  April   10. 

We  have  now  become  so  well  acquainted  with  Jeru- 
salem that  to-day  Aline  and  myself  chose  to  remain  in 
camp,  writing  letters  for  home,  while  the  gentlemen 
went  out ;  and  remembering  that  a  great  many  of  our 
friends  were  not  as  fortunate  as  ourselves,  sent,  them 
olive-leaves  and  flowers. 

In  the  afternoon  we  received  a  visit  from  the  Ameri- 
can Consul,  Mr.  Johnson,  a  very  agreeable  gentleman, 
who  advised  us  to  try  and  keep  our  dragoman,  who  con- 
tinued to  give  us  much  annoyance,  and  offered  us  a 
letter  to  his  brother,  who  is  Consul  in  Beyrout,  so  that 
if  any  further  trouble  should  arise  during  our  jour- 
ney we  could  refer  the  matter  to  him. 

Saturday,  April  11. 

This  morning  we  went  to  visit  our  friend  and  com- 
panion Charles  Beadel,  who,  not  feeling  well,  had  re- 
moved some  days  since  to  the  Mediterranean  Hotel : 
he  is  not  yet  entirely  recovered,  although  improving. 


THE   NILOMETEK,   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  229 

We  there  met  Lord  and  Lady  Conyngham,  Mr.  Hale 
our  Consul-General  at  Alexandria,  of  whom  I  have 
spoken  during  our  stay  in  Cairo,  and  Mr.  Messenger 
and  family,  whom  we  had  lost  sight  of  after  their  visit 
on  our  boat  before  we  left  for  the  Nile.  To-day  they 
accompanied  us  in  our  visit  to  the  Mosque  of  Omar  and 
of  El-Axa — a  permit  for  which  is  necessary,  while  a 
fee  of  ten  francs  each  is  expected,  in  fact  must  be  given. 

In  order  to  give  a  good  description  of  the  two  mosques 
a  better  inspection  and  more  time  than  our  guide  al- 
lowed us  would  have  been  necessary.  Certainly  two 
days  would  not  have  been  too  much,  while  we  had 
hardly  as  many  hours  ; — the  dislike  of  the  Mussulmans  to 
see  Christians  in  their  holy  places  is  so  great  that  they 
hurry  you  through,  hardly  permitting  you  to  take  a  look 
at  each  notable  object,  interesting  either  by  historical 
association  or  tradition ;  yet  the  remembrance,  in  my 
imagination,  is  that  of  a  beautiful  dream. 

A  few  words,  however,  as  to  the  location.  Passing 
through  a  gateway  we  found  ourselves  in  a  great 
square,  or  rather  a  parallelogram  surrounded  by  huge 
walls ;  and  this  is  the  site  of  the  Temple,  this  the 
Temple  court !  Here,  on  the  summit  of  Moriah,  was 
Abraham  about  to  offer  up  as  a  sacrifice  his  son  Isaac ; 
the  ages  roll  on,  and  here  again  is  David  led  by  divine 
instinct,  to  purchase  the  threshing-floor  of  Oman  the 
Jebusite,  whereon  to  erect  an  altar  to  the  Most  High. 
The  lifetime  of  the  great  shepherd  king  is  spent  in 
garnering  up  riches  wherewith  to  build  such  a  temple 
as  the  eyes  of  man  had  not  seen  before;  but  finding  the 
years  creeping  upon  him,  and  his  energies  failing,  he 


230  THE   N1LOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED   SODL. 

bequeathes  the  sacred  task  to  his  wise  son,  and  soon  is 
gathered  to  his  fathers,  and  sleeps  the  sleep  that  knows 
no  waking  in  the  cave  on  Mount  Zion,  nearly  adjoining 
the  royal  palace. 

And  now  the  glorious  task  begins  for  which  such 
vast  preparations  have  been  made.  Having  associated 
with  him  Hiram  king  of  Tyre,  from  whose  subjects 
came  the  hewers  of  wood,  as  well  as  artisans  and  artists 
of  various  degrees  of  merit,  and  Hiram  the  widow's 
son  as  the  chief  architect,  with  perfect  system  and 
regularity  the  Temple  rises,  and  soon  is  consecrated  to 
the  worship  of  the  great,  the  living  God ! 

How  the  wise  and  mighty  king  degenerated  in  his 
old  age,  how  the  Temple  was  destroyed  and  afterwards 
rebuilt,  are  but  matters  of  history. 

Here,  at  the  porch,  is  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  where 
Christ  bade  the  cripple  "  Take  up  thy  bed  and  walk  " 
(St.  John  ch.  v.  2,  8) ;  here  did  He  dispute  with  the 
doctors ;  from  this  holy  enclosure  did  He  drive  forth 
the  money-changers.  Of  all  the  places  on  the  face  of 
this  fair  earth,  is  there  a  spot  more  holy  than  this-  of 
Mount  Moriah  ?  Strange  that  the  weak  Turk  should 
guard  with  special  awe  and  reverence  that  which  the 
strong  Christian  scarce  thinks  worth  the  holding ! 

In  the  afternoon  the  gentlemen  went  to  the  Church 
of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  to  assist  at  one  of  the  strangest 
ceremonies  that  takes  place  during  the  year,  called  the 
reception  of  the  Sacred  Fire.  Having  gone  early,  and 
found  places  in  the  upper  gallery,  they  could  without 
danger  observe  the  curious  spectacle.  Thousands  of 
Greek  Catholics  crush  themselves  around  the  tomb,  and 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL.  231 

wait  with  a  feverish  impatience  the  arrival  of  their 
bishop,  who  enters  the  Chapel  of  the  Angel,  and  the 
doors  are  closed  upon  him. 

Soon  an  angel  coming  down  from  heaven  brings  to 
the  bishop  the  holy  fire,  which  he  passes  through  an 
orifice  cut  in  the  wall  of  the  chapel,  bj  means  of  a 
sponge  dipped  in  alcohol  attached  to  the  end  of  a  rod. 

It  is  the  solemn  moment :  the  crowd,  crazy  with  en- 
thusiasm, rushes  to  light  candles  from  this  celestial  fire, 
and  the  cries,  the  swaying  of  this  agitated  multitude, 
the  glare  of  thousands  of  torches,  the  songs  and  the 
dances  which  accompany  this  profane  ceremony,  give  it 
an  indescribable  character.  Very  often  the  Turkish 
militia  is  not  strong  enough  to  prevent  accidents,  and 
often  loss  of  life  is  the  price  of  these  odious  saturnalias. 
In  1834  over  four  hundred  bodies  covered  the  pavement 
of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  at  the  end  of  one  of  these  "fes- 
tivities" 

Easter  Sunday,  April  12. 

It  will  seem  strange  to  hear  that  we  did  not  wish  to 
assist  at  the  service  this  morning  in  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Sepulchre.  The  fact  is,  every  time  we  have  been 
there,  the  crowd  of  pilgrims  has  been  so  great,  and 
by  such  close  association  we  brought  home  so  much 
more  than  we  bargained  for,  that  we  have  become 
utterly  disgusted,  and  decided  to  visit  it  no  more. 

In  the  afternoon  Aline  and  Tom  went  to  return  the 
call  of  Lord  and  Lady  Conyngham,  who  had  left  cards 
the  day  previous,  and  met  Mr.  Johnson  and  family  in 
the  city,  who  had  arrived  the  day  before. 

In  the  evening  we  called  to  say  good-by  to  Captain 


232  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  . 

Hoare  and  Mr.  Standish,"\vhohad  returned  from  the  Dead 
Sea  and  were  again  encamped  near  us.  The  latter  was 
dining  with  the  Catholic  bishop,  but  we  met  the  English 
Vice-Consul  and  Lord  Ely,  with  whom  we  passed  a 
pleasant  evening.  Joseph  says  he  is  all  ready,  and  that 
to-morrow  we  will  start  for  Hebron. 

Monday,  April  13. 

A  few  miles  south  of  Jerusalem,  on  the  road-side, 
stands  a  small  plain  white  edifice,  perhaps  twenty  feet 
square  and  as  many  high,  and  which  the  traveller 
would  pass  by  without  giving  it  a  second  thought.  This 
building,  erected  and  kept  in  preservation  by  the  despised 
Mussulman,  would  probably  soon  be  in  ruins  if  left  to 
the  care  of  the  enlightened  Christian. 

Beneath  this  modest  roof  rest  the  mortal  remains  of 
the  gentle  mother  of  Israel. 

"  And  they  journeyed  from  Beth-el ;  and  there  was 
but  a  little  way  to  come  to  Ephrath :  and  Rachel 
travailed,  and  she  had  hard  labor. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  when  she  was  in  hard  labor, 
that  the  midwife  said  unto  her,  Fear  not;  thou  shalt 
have  this  son  also. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  as  her  soul  was  in  departing 
(for  she  died),  that  she  called  his  nameBen-oni :  but  his 
father  called  him  Benjamin. 

"  And  Rachel  died,  and  wras  buried  in  the  way  to 
Ephrath,  which  is  Beth-lehem. 

"And  Jacob  set  a  pillar  upon  her  grave:  that 
is  the  pillar  of  Rachel's  grave  unto  this  day." — Gen. 
xxxv.  1G. 


THE   MILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  233 

"  And  as  for  me,  when  I  came  from  Padan,  Pachel 
died  by  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  in  the  way,  when 
yet  there  was  but  a  little  way  to  come  unto  Ephrath : 
and  I  buried  her  there  in  the  way  of  Ephrath,  the  same 
is  Beth-lehem." — Gen.  xlviii.  1. 

Tarrying  a  short  time  before  the  mausoleum,  and 
again  at  mid-day  for  lunch,  we  arrived  in  view  of 
Hebron,  where  our  tents  were  pitched,  near  the  quaran- 
tine, at  five  o'clock  p.m. 

The  weather  had  been  excessively  warm  all  day; 
the  bad  roads,  winding  through  masses  of  rock,  and  the 
dreary  prospect  had  fatigued  us  all ;  so  we  were  glad 
to  finish  dinner  and  retire  early. 

Tuesday",  April  14. 

The  magic  touch  of  refreshing  sleep  took  away  the 
fatigues  of  the  preceding  day,  and  all  being  up  early, 
enjoyed  the  picturesque  sight.  Behind  us  we  had  the 
quarantine  building,  backed  by  green  hills  intersected 
with  gray  rocks,  and  covered  with  tombs :  on  both 
sides  luxuriant  terraces,  covered  with  olive-trees,  grass, 
and  flowers,  and  before  us  the  city  spread  on  a  hill,  the 
houses  seeming  one  above  another  around  an  imposing 
mosque,  which  covers  the  grotto  of  Machpelah. 

After  breakfast  our  tents  were  struck,  and  sent  in 
advance  for  the  Pools  of  Solomon,  while  we  walked 
through  this  most  ancient  city  of  the  world.  It  has  much 
the  same  appearance  as  all  oriental  towns,  very  narrow 
streets,  arched  bazars,  which,  as  the  weather  was  warm, 
felt  cool  and  comfortable. 

We  desired  to  visit  the  tomb  of  Abraham,  but  the 


234  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOTL. 

entrance  is  forbidden  to  strangers ;  and  when  Aline 
and  myself  advanced  towards  the  door,  a  Mussulman 
guardian  made  signs  to  us  to  pursue  our  way.  The 
authenticity  of  this  place  where  the  patriarchs  are 
buried  is  incontestable ;  and  we  went  all  around  it,  so 
as  to  engrave  it  well  on  our  memory.  The  exterior 
enclosure  is  of  great  antiquity.  It  is  a  parallelo- 
gram, sixty-one  yards  by  thirty-five,  built  of  large 
blocks,  some  of  which  measure  nearly  eight  yards  in 
length.  The  walls,  sixteen  yards  in  height,  are  or- 
namented with  pilasters  without  chapiters,  supporting 
a  high  relief  cornice;  and  in  the  interior  of  this 
first  enclosure  is  the  mosque  which  covers  the  grotto 
of  Machpelah,  having  a  dome  and  four  minarets. 
After  having  rested  and  gathered  some  flowers  for  our 
albums,  Tom  took  a  good  view  of  it,  with  all  of  us 
standing  near. 

It  was  then  noon,  and  the  weather  so  warm  that  we 
questioned  whether  we  should  rest  and  lunch  at  Hebron 
or  go  on  and  take  it  under  the  shade  of  Abraham's  Oak 
in  the  woods  of  Mamre,  said  to  be  the  spot  where  that 
patriarch,  after  separating  from  his  nephew  Lot,  pitched 
his  tent  and  built  an  altar  unto  the  Lord.  (Gen.  xiii.  18.) 

"We  decided  for  the  latter  place,  and  mounting  our 
horses  were  soon  seated  under  the  shade  of  the  cele- 
brated oak ;  the  trunk  measuring  seven  yards  in  cir- 
cumference, while  some  of  its  branches  are  fifteen  yards 
long.  There  we  spent  two  hours ;  and  Tom  attempted 
a  picture  of  our  lunch  scene,  which,  unfortunately,  did 
not  succeed ;  so,  leaving  him  there  with  Henry  Beadel — 
for  he  said  he  would  not  leave  without  at  least  having 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    6ACEED    SOIL.  235 

a  view  of  the  tree — we  proceeded  towards  Solomon's 
Pools,  and  had  not  been  en  route  half  an  hour  when  we 
were  rejoined  by  the  two  gentlemen. 

The  road  was  far  more  pleasant  than  the  day  before ; 
although  the  hills  were  rocky,  barren,  and  desolate, 
the  valleys,  with  their  green  velvet  carpet,  and  darker 
shades  of  bushes  beyond,  formed  an  agreeable  contrast. 
The  air  being  cooler,  we  enjoyed  our  ride ;  sometimes, 
when  the  road  permitted  it,  galloping  at  full  speed. 
During  one  hour  before  arriving  at  the  reservoirs  we 
had  to  give  all  our  attention  to  our  horses ;  for  while 
passing  through  the  Wadi-Ortas  we  were  between  two 
walls  of  rocks,  sometimes  filled,  up  with  fallen  blocks, 
so  that  we  were  delighted  when  we  reached  our  encamp- 
ment, and  it  being  six  o'clock,  we  at  once  prepared  for 
dinner. 

After  dinner  Henry  Beadel  and  myself  went  to  view 
the  reservoirs,  which  were  three  large  basins  walled  up 
and  cemented  in  the  interior.  They  are  placed  on  a 
declivity :  the  most  elevated  pours  its  water  into  the 
second,  from  whence  it  runs  into  the  third,  which  is  the 
largest  of  all,  and,  according  to  Robinson,  one  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  yards  in  length  by  eighty-three  yards 
at  one  extremity  and  forty-five  at  the  other,  having  a 
depth  of  fifteen  yards.  The  intermediate  reservoir  is 
forty-five  yards  distant  from  the  former,  and  measures 
one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  yards  in  length  by  seventy 
in  width  and  twelve  in  depth.  The  upper  reservoir, 
which  is  also  at  a  distance  of  forty-five  yards  from  the 
second,  is  one  hundred  and  sixteen  yards  long,  seventy 
in  width,  and  eight  in  depth.     This  last  is  fed  by  a 


236  THE   KILOMETER  AND  THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

fountain  situated  one  hundred  and  fifty  steps  farther -off, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  a  little  fort,  Kala'1-el-Borak, 
and  which  is  occupied  by  the  guardian  of  the  waters. 
This  spring,  over  which  a  vault  has  been  built,  has  a 
circular  opening  like  that  of  a  well,  and  is  generally 
covered  with  a  large  stone.  After  lifting  the  stone  you 
can  go  down  a  depth  of  four  yards  to  a  room  fifteen 
steps  long  by  eight  wide ;  adjoining  which  is  another 
small  chamber. 

The  water  comes  out  by  four  openings;  it  is  first 
gathered  in  one  basin,  and  then  flows  by  a  subter- 
ranean conduit  towards  the  north-western  angle  of 
the  superior  reservoir.  There  a  portion  falls  into  this 
basin,  while  the  aqueduct  continues  parallel  with  the 
reservoir  to  the  second  and  third,  which  it  supplies  in 
the  same  manner,  and  then  continues  parallel  with 
another  aqueduct  from  the  lower  basin  to  Bethlehem 
and  Jerusalem.  This  complicated  system  was  evidently 
so  arranged  in  order  to  bring  to  the  Temple  the  pure 
water  of  the  fountain,  while  accumulating  the  surplus 
in  the  reservoirs,  and  these  fed  the  city  by  the  brick 
aqueduct,  that  is  still  seen  near  the  inferior  one. 

"Wednesday,  April  15. 

At  eleven  we  were  in  the  saddle,  and  our  first  stop- 
ping-place was  Bethlehem. 

The  road  from  the  pools  to  this  place  is  short,  occu- 
pying about  one  hour  and  a  half,  and  very  undulating. 
The  day  was  fine,  and  we  had  read  the  evening  before, 
in  the  "Holy  Land,"  by  Dixon,  all  the  touching  epi- 
sodes that  took  place  in  this  blessed  among  the  blessed 


THE   NILOMETEK    AND   THE   SACKED   SOTL.  237 

cities  ;  the  pastorals  of  Rachel,  of  Ruth,  and  of  David, 
and,  above  all,  the  most  sacred  story  of  the  birth 
of  "  Oar  Saviour."  It  is  charmingly  situated  on  the 
summit  of  a  high  hill,  which  inclines  by  a  series  of 
terraces  covered  with  vines,  olives,  and  oak-trees,  to  the 
deep  valley  which  surrounds  it  on  three  sides. 

A  fine  panorama  spread  before  us  as  we  approached  it : 
on  our  right  was  a  peak  crowned  by  an  old  fort,  which 
dates  from  the  time  of  the  Crusaders,  and  thence  is 
called  "  the  Mountain  of  the  Franks  ;  "  on  the  left  we 
saw  the  domes  and  minarets  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  oppo- 
site, towards  the  east,  a  blue  chain  of  hills — the  moun- 
tains of  Moab. 

To  reach  the  Church  of  the  Nativity,  covering  the 
holy  stable,  we  had  to  pass  through  the  village,  which 
had  a  cheery  aspect  as  the  sun  shone  on  its  white  stone 
houses  surrounded  by  gardens.  As  soon  as  we  were  in 
sight  of  the  edifice  we  were  surrounded  by  a  number  of 
chaplet  and  relic  venders,  and  it  was  with  some  trouble 
that  we  could  get  rid  of  them  and  enter  the  building, 
which  is  surrounded  by  the  high  walls  and  gardens  of 
three  convents — Latin,  Greek,  and  Armenian. 

The  present  structure  was  commenced  by  Helena  and 
terminated  by  Constantine,  between  the  years  327  and 
333.  We  took  only  a  cursory  view,  and  then  passed  down 
the  circular  staircase  which  conducts  to  the  grotto  of 
the  Nativity,  covering  the  stable  and  the  manger,  and  is 
about  twelve  yards  long  by  five  wide  and  three  high. 
The  surface  of  the  rock  is  entirely  covered  with  marble, 
as  well  as  the  pavement  of  the  grotto ;  and  the  place 
which  is  pointed  out  as  the  birthplace  of  Christ  is  on 


238  THE   NILOMETEK  AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

the  eastern  side,  marked  by  a  silver  star,  around  which 
you  read :  Hie  de  Virgine  Maria  Jesus  Christies  natus 
est.    1717. 

Now  Caesar  Augustus  laid  a  tax  on  all  the  world,  and 
each  man  must  go  unto  his  own  city,  there  to  pay  it. 
Joseph,  who  lived  with  his  young  wife  at  Nazareth,  be- 
longed to  the  royal  house  of  David,  and  the  city  of  Da- 
vid was  Bethlehem. 

Thither  then  did  Joseph  journey  with  Mary,  big  with 
child,  mounted  on  an  ass,  as  it  was  and  still  is  the 
method  of  journeying  in  Syria,  stopping  by  the  way- 
side as  convenience  and  pleasure  suited. 

But  lo !  when  they  had  arrived  at  Bethlehem,  the 
rude  building  which  affords  shelter  to  the  wayfarer  in 
this  country,  called  a  khan,  was  filled  to  overflowing  with 
others  who,  like  themselves,  were  come  up  to  pay  their 
taxes. 

Near  by  the  khan  was  a  sort  of  cave,  cut  in  the  rock, 
and  used  as  a  stable,  and  thither  did  Joseph  drive  the 
ass  ;  and  as  no  lodgings  were  attainable,  here  Mary  was 
compelled  to  remain. 

During  the  night  travail  came  upon  her,  and  thus  it 
happened  that  the  Redeemer  was  born  in  this  place,  and 
here  laid  in  the  manger ;  and  a  few  steps  further  on 
you  are  shown  the  place  where  it  stood.  It  has  been 
transported  to  Rome,  and  is  now  in  the  Church  of  St. 
Marie  Majeure.  Twenty-one  silver  lamps  and  two  pic- 
tures ornament  this  sanctuary. 

The  identification  of  this  place  is  undeniable  ;  but  we 
all  thought  and  felt  that  it  was  a  pity  the  holy  stable 
had  been  thus  transformed.     Why  not  have  left  it  in  its 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SODL.  239 

original  condition  ?  What  had  gold,  and  marble,  and 
precious  stones  to  do  with  the  birth  of  the  Holy  Child  ? 
We  had  come  from  far,  far  off,  to  worship  in  that  hum- 
ble place,  the  witness  of  such  a  marvellous  event,  and 
while  we  knelt  and  prayed,  the  gawd  and  glitter  of 
worldly  wealth  added  naught  to  our  reverence. 

We  took  our  lunch  in  a  valley  at  the  foot  of  Bethle- 
hem, and  then  proceeded  on  our  way  to  Mar-Saba.  The 
country  soon  assumed  again  its  peculiar  character — na- 
ked and  dreary  mountains,  without  a  tree  or  brook ;  for 
water  is  exceedingly  scarce  throughout  Palestine,  and 
notwithstanding  the  heat,  our  horses  could  only  get  to 
drink  morning  and  night. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CONVENT     OF    MAR-SABA SHAWAAL ARAB      HORSEMAN- 
SHIP— DEAD   SEA JORDAN — PILGEEVl's  PASS — JERICHO 

FOUNTAIN  OF  ELISHA — RETURN  TO  JERUSALEM:. 

S  we  arrived  at  Mar-Saba  early  in  the  after- 
noon, Aline  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  to  see  the 
convent,  the  entrance  to  which  is  interdicted 
to  ladies ;  and  even  gentlemen  can  obtain  ad- 
mittance only  by  a  written  permit,  signed  by  the  Greek 
patriarch  at  Jerusalem,  with  which  talisman  we  were 
duly  armed. 

When  near  the  entrance  they  met  a  party  among 
whom  was  a  lady  (whose  name  we  afterwards  ascer- 
tained to  be  the  Countess  Rapp),  provided  with  a  special 
order  from  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine  of  Russia,  and 
who  supposed,  with  such  authority,  denial  would  be  im- 
possible :  yet  even  she  was  only  admitted  to  the  outer 
court. 

The  Countess  invited  Aline  to  enter  with  her,  which 
was  gratefully  accepted,  as  the  heat  of  the  sun  was  very 
oppressive,  and  the  ladies  remained  seated  in  the  shade, 
in  the  court-yard,  while  the  gentlemen  were  conducted 
through  the  various  parts  of  the  building. 

Thursday,  April  1G. 
We  determined  to  pass  the  day  in  this  place,  remarka- 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  241 

ble  for  its  strange,  wild  scenery,  and  make  an  early 
start  on  the  morrow  for  the  Dead  Sea  and  Jordan-;  and 
as  Tom  wished  to  take  a  view,  orders  were  given  for  the 
camp  to  be  moved  near  to  the  convent. 

The  gentlemen  had  gone,  leaving  Aline  and  I  to  fol- 
low, guarded  by  Shawaal,  the  Bedouin  chief  of  our  escort, 
a  young  man  of  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  with  a 
very  characteristic  face,  regular  features,  piercing  black 
eyes,  black,  silky,  curly  hair  and  light  brown  complex- 
ion, polite,  obliging,  and  attentive.  As  on  the  preced- 
ing afternoon  I  had  found  the  road  to  our  tents  exceed- 
ingly bad  for  the  horses,  being  almost  the  entire  way 
composed  of  large,  flat,  slippery  stones,  I  preferred  to 
walk.  Aline,  however,  mounted,  and,  helped  by  Sha- 
waal, we  proceeded  towards  the  convent,  stopping  from 
time  to  time  to  take  a  look  at  the  immense  ravine,  one 
edge  of  which  the  road  skirted,  while  on  the  other  side 
were  naked  sand-hills,  with  here  and  there  a  red  flower, 
remarkable  for  the  richness  and  beauty  of  its  color,  a 
few  of  which  I  gathered  for  our  albums. 

The  Convent  of  Mar-Saba,  which  is  to-day  one  of  the 
richest  of  all  Palestine,  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  wilder- 
ness on  the  brink  of  a  profound  gorge,  and  was  originally 
founded  by  St.  Saba,  in  the  year  483 ;  and  when  the 
gentlemen  visited  it  they  were  shown  the  grotto  where 
the  saint,  after  having  driven  out  the  lion  who  had 
made  there  his  lair,  devoted  his  life  of  sixty  years  to 
meditation  and  prayer. 

We  passed  in  that  place  a  quiet  but  uncomfortable 
day,  for,  not  having  a  tree  to  shade  us,  the  heat  in  our 
tents  was  almost  insupportable,  and  the  monotony  was 
11 


24:2  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

only  broken  by  the  novelty  of  having  our  Bedouins 
about  us,  and  the  spectacle  of  caravans  arriving,  or 
others  passing  behind  our  encampment. 

Friday,  April  17. 

At  half-past  five  we  were  in  the  saddle,  on  our  way 
to  the  Dead  Sea,  which  we  were  in  hopes  of  reaching 
before  the  greatest  heat  of  the  day  came  on. 

It  is  impossible  to  travel  in  this  part  of  Palestine 
unaccompanied  by  the  wild  Bedouin  inhabitants  as  es- 
cort. Our  sheick,  Shawaal,  formed  the  head  of  the 
cortege,  while  the  rest  of  the  guard  remained  behind 
with  the  mules,  men,  and  baggage. 

Until  ten  o'clock  the  heat  was  tolerable,  and  as  we 
travelled  the  greater  part  of  the  time  along  the  side  of 
precipices,  or  up  and  down  mountain  passes,  where  our 
horses  were  unable  to  go  faster  than  a  walk,  were 
wrapt  in  astonishment  and  admiration  at  the  wild  and 
desolate  state  of  nature  surrounding  us. 

The  hills  are  completely  without  vegetation  :  rocks, 
sand  which  the  wind  sweeps  about,  and  a  tint  of  black 
earth,  cover  like  a  funeral  pall  all  that  land.  From  time 
to  time  the  mountains  look  as  if,  broken,  and  disappear 
in  narrow  and  profound  abysses  where  no  path  leads, 
and  where  the  eye  only  sees  the  eternal  repetition  of  the 
scenes  which  surround  it.  All  has  a  volcanic  appear- 
ance ;  the  stones  piled  up  on  every  side  look  like  blocks 
of  lava  hardened  and  cracked  by  centuries ;  and  when 
you  are  on  the  summit  of  a  hill,  and  the  horizon  opens 
for  an  instant  to  your  view,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach 
you  only  see  a  black  chain  of  truncated  cones,  heaped 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND    THE    SACKED   SOIL.  243 

up  one  upon  another,  detaching  themselves  from  the 
deep  blue  of  the  firmament.  It  is  an  entanglement 
without  limit  of  avenues  of  mountains  of  all  forms — 
torn,  broken,  split  in  gigantic  pieces,  and  bound  one  to 
the  other  by  similar  chains  of  hills.  Profound  ravines, 
whence  in  Switzerland  you  would  hear  the  roaring  of  a 
torrent,  here  seem  spell-bound  in  mystic  silence.  It  is 
the  ideal  chaos ;  not  a  tree — not  a  flower — the  ebulli- 
tion of  an  earth  on  fire,  of  which  the  petrified  bubbles 
have  formed  these  waves  of  scoria,  sand,  and  stones. 

At  nine  o'clock  we  could  see  distinctly  the  Dead  Sea, 
which  appeared  like  a  beautiful  sheet  of  blue  water, 
and  we  expected  soon  to  reach  its  shore  ;  but  on,  on  we 
continue  our  route,  and  frequently  it  appears  and  dis- 
appears as  we  mount  and  descend  the  hilly  slopes.  Our 
spirits  were  impressed  by  the  wildness  of  the  scene,  and 
the  silence  was  only  broken  by  the  hoofs  of  our  horses 
clattering  on  the  stony  ground. 

Aline  and  I  remained  close  to  our  chief,  Shawaal,  for 
it  was  easy  to  understand  what  a  secure  hiding-place 
these  mountains  and  valleys  afforded  to  the  tribes  of 
wild  Bedouins.  Occasionally  an  Arab,  wrapped  in  his 
camel-hair  cloak,  with  gun  on  his  shoulder,  would  ap- 
pear on  the  top  of  a  mound ;  a  few  words  would  be  ex- 
changed, between  our  chief  and  the  stranger,  and  we 
would  continue  our  route. 

This  is  the  district  given  by  tradition  to  the  forty  days. 

The  heat  was  now  becoming  unbearable,  and  all  were 
fatigued  when  at  last  we  gained  the  plain.  Shawaal 
assured  us  we  would  soon  arrive,  and  as  the  road  was 
good,  exhibited  the  docility  and  swiftness  of  his  Arab 


244  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

horse.  He  fired  his  gun  near  his  ear,  and  the  noble  ani- 
mal, understanding  the  signal,  flies  away  at  full  speed — 
the  chief  meanwhile  dismounted  and  remounted,  and 
finally  at  a  word  stopped  the  horse,  which  instantly  be- 
came as  quiet  as  one  of  ours.  Many  daring  things  he 
did  with  him  ;  but  while  admiring  his  feats  Aline  and  I 
had  to  be  careful  of  our  own  steeds,  who,  recognizing  a 
brother  in  that  animal  of  the  desert,  wished  to  follow 
him.  Mine  once  did  so,  and  being  unable  to  stop  him, 
I  was  nearly  thrown  by  my  Saladin  jumping  a  ditch 
when  I  did  not  expect  it.  Oh  !  how  thoroughly  Shawaal 
seemed  to  be  in  his  element  in  that  wild  region ;  how 
smiling  and  happy  he  looked ;  his  face  so  expressive  that 
I  could  not  tire  observing  him. 

We  have  now  passed  the  site  near  where,  so  many 
centuries  ago,  stood  Sodom  and  Gomorrah — the  plain, 
full  of  short  bushes,  covered  with  little  pink  flowers, 
which  Shawaal  says  is  "  the  apple  of  Sodom," — and 
have  dismounted  on  the  little  peninsula  which  forms 
the  north-west  angle  of  the  Dead  Sea,  twelve  hundred 
feet  below  the  level  of  the  Mediterranean. 

"We  had  heard  so  much  of  that  sea,  and  of  its  water, 
so  calm  as  to  resemble  liquid  oil,  that  we  were  surprised 
to  find  there  the  ripple  about  the  same  as  on  any  other 
lake  on  an  ordinarily  calm  day ;  while  to  the  east  and 
west  well-defined  mountains  throw  their  shades  on  its 
shores.  Here  are  the  Heights  of  Abraham,  the  crests  of 
Gilead,  the  mountain  of  the  Temptation ;  on  our  right 
are  the  burnt  cities  of  Lot ;  on  our  left  the  ruins  of  Gil- 
gal  and  Jericho ;  in  front  the  long  flat  plain  of  sand  and 
ashes,  the  green  fringe  of  the  sacred  stream,  and  tho 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  245 

great  ford  over  which.  Joshua  passed,  and   on  which 
Jesus  was  baptized  by  John. 

While  the  gentlemen  went  to  bathe,  Aline  and  I 
stretched  ourselves  on  the  sand,  tired  by  our  six  and  a 
half  hours'  ride,  and  endeavored  to  rest;  but  the  time 
seemed  uncommonly  long,  exposed  as  we  were  to  the 
burning  rays  of  the  sun.  Tom  took  a  view  of  the  Dead 
Sea  with  the  gentlemen  bathing,  but  it  was  very  difficult 
for  them  to  keep  quiet. 

The  water  is  of  a  most  peculiar  character.  A  strong 
taste  of  salt,  bitumen,  and  sulphur  pervades  it,  while  a 
dry  bitterness  remains  a  long  time  upon  the  tongue. 
Perhaps  no  water  is  so  strongly  impregnated  with  salt 
as  this,  rendering  it  so  heavy  that  the  human  body  can- 
not sink  below  the  arm-pits,  and  when  attempting  to 
swim  the  feet  are  thrown  quite  into  the  air.  The  effect 
upon  the  eyes  is  to  produce  a  powerful  burning  sensa- 
tion, lasting  the  remainder  of  the  day  ;  while  the  person, 
after  bathing,  felt  incrusted  with  a  coating  of  salt,  not- 
withstanding a  vigorous  application  of  the  towel,  only 
removed  by  another  bat)],  a  couple  of  hours  after,  in  the 
cool  and  fresh  water  of  the  Jordan.  The  difference  of 
temperature  between  the  waters  of  the  sea  and  river 
was  very  great,  probably  as  much  as  twenty  degrees, 
although  we  had  no  means  of  measuring  it  exactly. 
Appearances  are  often  deceitful,  is  an  old  proverb,  never 
better  exemplified  than  here.  The  waters  of  this  salt 
and  bitter  lake  were  beautifully  clear  and  transparent, 
while  the  sweet  waters  of  the  Jordan  are  as  yellow  and 
muddy  as  the  current  of  our  own  Mississippi.  I  am 
now  speaking  of  the  Jordan  near  its  mouth,  between 


246  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

the  Dead  Sea  and  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  for  we  afterwards 
found  the  river  a  hundred  miles  north  of  this  (near 
ancient  Dan)  as  clear  and  babbling  a  brook  as  ever 
watered  the  fairest  land  of  America,  fringed  with  trees 
and  bushes,  grass  growing  near  its  banks,  bold  wooded 
hills  near  its  margin,  the  type  of  the  Happy  Yalley  of 
Ilasselas. 

Two  hours  passed  at  the  sea,  and  it  was  with  a  sigh, 
of  relief  that  we  remounted  our  horses,  and  rode  for  an 
hour  and  a  half  across  the  plain  of  the  Jordan.  Hot 
though  it  was,  we  galloped  most  of  the  way,  and  arrived 
at  half-past  two  at  the  Pilgrim's  Pass,  said  to  be  exactly 
the  spot  where  our  Saviour  was  baptized. 

After  that  wilting  ride  it  was  delicious  to  sit  beneath 
the  shade  of  the  willows,  acacias,  and  tamarisks  which 
bordered  the  shore,  covered  with  reeds  and  bushes, 
wherein  the  Arab  marauders  sometimes  hide  themselves. 
It  is  generally  prudent  to  keep  together,  but  to-day  there 
was  no  danger,  as  there  were  several  parties,  and  the 
escorts  combined  made  quite  an  imposing  show. 

We  drank  of  the  water  of  the  Jordan,  which,  as  I 
have  said,  is  here  rather  muddy,  but  having  filtered  it 
found  it  cool  and  agreeable  to  the  taste.  How  vividly 
I  remember  the  strangeness  and  novelty  of  the  scene  ! 
It  seemed  like  a  dream  to  think  that  I  was  reclining  on 
the  shore  of  the  Jordan,  that  holy  and  sacred  stream. 
Yes,  here  it  was  running  at  my  feet — not  pure  and  lim- 
pid, as  I  had  anticipated,  but  a  narrow,  yellow  river ; 
for  even  at  this  place,  its  widest  part,  the  width  is  only 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  yards.  The  blue  sky,  the 
fiery  heat  of  the  sun,  our  Arabs  smoking  at  some  dis- 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  24:7 

tance  off,  the  neighing  of  the  horses,  anxious  to  get  to 
the  river-side,  the  laughter  of  our  friends,  happy  in  the 
enjoyment  of  their  delicious  bath — all  this — Helloa  ! 
it  is  lunch-time.     "  Joseph,  spread  the  cloth/  " 

But  it  was  time  to  be  in  the  saddle,  as  our  place  of 
encampment  for  the  night  was  at  the  Fountain  of  Elisha, 
on  the  site  of  ancient  Jericho  ;  and  the  long  and  arid 
plain  which  separates  us  from  Rihha,  the  Jericho  of  to-day, 
is  quite  monotonous.  This  little  mount  that  we  see  at  a 
short  distance  on  our  left  is  Grilgal,  or  Galgala;  it  is  here 
that  the  Israelites  encamped  after  having  crossed  the 
Jordan  ;  here  Joshua,  after  his  fight  against  the  Canaan- 
ites,  established  his  headquarters ;  and  on  the  same  spot 
the  Israelites  celebrated  their  first  Easter  in  the  Pro- 
mised Land.  (Jos.  iv.  19,  20;  v.  9-11.)  It  was  also 
here  that  Samuel  proclaimed  the  royalty  of  Saul ;  and 
the  miracles  of  Elisha  illuminated  that  hill,  to-day  de- 
serted and  almost  forgotten.  After  one  hour  and  three- 
quarters  we  passed  Rihha,  the  Jericho  of  the  time  of 
Herod,  that  Christ  visited  when  He  cured  the  blind. 
(St.  Luke  xviii.  34-43.)  It  is  now  only  a  group  of 
poor  houses,  and  the  citadel,  a  square  building  half  in 
ruins,  is  said  to  be  on  the  place  where  the  house  of  the 
rich  Zaccheus  stood.     (St.  Luke  xviii.  35—43.) 

It  was  five  o'clock  when  we  came  in  view  of  our 
tents,  this  time  delightfully  pitched  beside  the  spring 
called  the  "  Fountain  of  Elisha,"  because  it  is  said  that 
the  prophet,  touched  by  the  prayers  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Jericho,  took  away  the  bitterness  of  its  water.  It  is 
the  source  of  a  beautiful  brook,  which  runs  for  some 
distance  before  discharging  into  the  Jordan,  the  shores 


248  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL. 

of  which  are  covered  with  various  kinds  of  trees,  and 
forming  a  pretty  little  wood,  where  I  accompanied  Mr. 
Rogers  soon  after  our  arrival.  How  refreshing  and  de- 
licious this  little  oasis  felt  after  the  hot  and  fatiguing 
labor  of  the  day !  We  met  there  one  of  the  wild  Arabs, 
a  young  man  who  was  making  bread,  and  we  watched 
him  until  he  put  it  in  an  oven  built  of  stones  and  mud. 
After  dinner  we  retired  to  our  tents,  for  we  were  all 
fatigued ;  but  there  being  many  encampments,  the  Arab 
escorts  came  before  each  tent,  singing,  dancing,  and 
playing  rude  music,  until  we  had  to  send  them  away 
with  a  backsheesh. 

Long  after  being  in  bed  we  could  hear  their  joyons 
and  merry  laughter,  and  by  those  sounds  and  the  tin- 
kling of  the  bells  of  our  mules  were  lulled  to  sleep. 

Saturday,  April  18. 

We  were  up  very  early,  and  after  breakfast,  while 
the  horses  were  being  fed  and  saddled,  took  a  walk 
along  the  brook  of  Elisha,  and  b}r  the  shapeless  ruins. 
Fragments  of  broken  pottery  are  still  seen  on  its  shores, 
as  well  as  on  the  banks  of  a  large  reservoir  which  ex- 
tends south-west  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  And 
this  is  all  that  remains  of  that  Jericho  built  by  Iliel  the 
Bethelite,  which  the  Hebrews,  under  the  leadership  of 
Joshua,  besieged  fifteen  and  a  half  centuries  before  the 
Christian  era. 

But  already  some  of  the  other  encampments  had 
moved,  and  as  we  wished  to  reach  Jerusalem  this  da}*, 
took  the  road,  passing  the  Mount  of  the  Quarantine, 
which  rises  to  the  west  above  the  ruins  of  Jericho,  and 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  249 

is  so  named  from  the  tradition  which  identifies  it  as  the 
place  where  Christ  fasted  during  forty  days. 

The  sun  was  already  very  powerful,  and  though  our 
path  was"  now  constantly  rising,  and  we  were  leaving 
behind  us  the  level  of  the  Dead  Sea,  which  could  from 
time  to  time  be  perceived  through  the  openings  of  the 
hills,  we  suffered  greatly  from  the  heat,  and  thought  it 
was  even  warmer  than  it  had  been  the  day  previous. 
The  return  road  to  Jerusalem  bears  a  great  similarity  to 
that  from  Mar-Saba,  but  the  more  we  advanced  the  bet- 
ter it  became,  and  we  could  now  and  then  put  our 
horses  to  the  gallop. 

Shawaal  had  already  tried  his  gun  twice,  and  both 
times  missed  his  aim;  as  we  all  laughed  at  him  his 
pride  was  evidently  touched,  and  he  felt  quite  morti- 
fied. Seeing  some  birds  in  the  valley  near,  swift  as 
lightning  horse  and  rider  were  going  with  frightful 
rapidity  down  the  steep  hill,  and,  as  we  pursued  our 
route,  lost  sight  of  him,  thinking  he  would  soon  return. 
Two  hours  elapsed,  however,  and  I  began  to  think  that 
we  had  seen  the  last  of  our  sheick,  when  we  perceived 
him  coming  up  behind  us,  having  succeeded  during  his 
absence  in  shooting  one  quail.  I  judged  from  this 
that  the  Arabs  are  but  poor  marksmen,  which  I  after- 
wards heard  was  actually  the  case. 

I  felt  glad  when  he  had  returned,  for  we  were  with- 
out escort,  the  other  men  being  far  back  with  the  bag- 
gage, the  country  wild  and  savage  in  the  extreme,  and 
that  day  we  met  many  Arabs,  all  of  them  armed. 

Oh!  how  delighted  we  were  when,  after  several 
hours'  ride  through  a  scorching  sun,  we  alighted  before 
11* 


250  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

the  fountain  Ain-el-Haoud,  which  in  the  time  of 
Joshua  marked  one  of  the  borders  of  Judea.  So  cool 
and  refreshing  was  the  limpid  element  that  we  could 
not  quit  the  place.  It  was  near  an  old  khan,  and  our 
horses  as  well  as  ourselves  were  in  the  shade,  while  the 
poor  beasts  had  even  more  need  of  water  than  ourselves. 
We  had  been  there  half  an  hour  when  Mr.  Beadel,  Sr., 
arrived  with  one  of  the  mooks,  or  muleteers,  and  wish- 
ing to  make  room  for  him,  in  getting  away  from  the 
fountain  I  jumped  on  a  stone,  which  moved  beneath 
my  weight,  my  foot  turned,  and  I  sprained  my  ankle. 
Happily,  as  we  were  near  the  water,  I  immediately 
placed  it  beneath  the  stream,  notwithstanding  which  it 
swelled  a  great  deal  and  was  very  painful.  Good  Sha- 
waal,  how  kind  he  was !  I  could  not  ride  quickly  after 
that,  and  he  remained  constantly  by  my  side,  asking 
from  time  to  time  how  I  felt. 

In  Bethany,  where  we  took  our  lunch,  I  had  to  re- 
main quiet,  while  the  others  went  to  look  at  Lazarus' 
tomb.  The  village  itself  is  unimportant  except  from  its 
religious  reminiscences ;  it  is  composed  of  some  twenty 
or  thirty  houses,  surrounded  by  plantations  of  fig  and 
olive  trees. 

Leaving  Bethany  we  could  soon  see  the  summits  of 
Mount  Zion,  Mount  Moriah,  and  the  walls  of  the  temple, 
and  at  four  o'clock  arrived  at  about  the  same  time  as  our 
mules  and  baggage ;  and  as  soon  as  our  tent  was  ready 
I  had  to  lie  down  on  my  bed,  while  the  rest  of  the  party 
went  to  Jerusalem  to  see  our  sick  friend  Charles,  and 
make  some  purchases.  Soon  I  received  a  visit  from 
Shawaal,  accompanied  by  Mohammed  as  his  interpreter. 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  251 

He  had  come  to  wish  me  good-by,  as  his  intention  was 
to  return  this  evening  to  his  people.  He  expressed  his 
sorrow  at  the  manner  in  which  I  thus  ended  my  jour- 
ney, and  hoped  I  would  soon  be  better,  etc.,  etc.  I  then 
asked  him  if  his  tribe  was  a  powerful  one,  and  he  said 
that  he  and  his  brothers  were  at  the  head  of  three  thou- 
sand men;  that  they  did  not  live  very  far  from  the  wil- 
derness of  Mar-Saba,  and  that  he  was  sorry  while  we 
remained  one  day  idle  we  had  not  gone  to  visit  them. 
Nothing  would  have  pleased  me  more  than  to  have 
seen  the  internal  economy  of  such  an  encampment,  for 
I  knew  that  under  the  protection  of  the  chief  there  was 
nothing  to  fear.  I  wrote  down  the  name  of  Shawaal, 
and  promised  that  if  ever  I  returned  to  this  part  of  the 
world  I  would  inquire  for  him,  and  would  certainly  visit 
him  at  his  home. 

Aline  and  the  gentlemen,  accompanied  by  Charles 
Beadel,  who  was  much  better,  returned  for  dinner,  but 
it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  I  could  walk  to 
the  dining  saloon.  While  at  our  meal  we  received  a 
visit  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Amory,  who  were  camping  not 
far  from  us.  They  had  also  made  the  trip  to  Jordan 
and  the  Dead  Sea,  and  would  be  ready  to  start  on  their 
way  to  Damascus  and  Beyrout  the  following  Monday. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

bethel — Jacob's  deeam — shiloh — naplouse — sichem — 
sychar — the  woman  of  samaria — mounts  ebal  and 

gerizim sebastia samaria jezebel sepulchre 

of  st.  john  the  baptist dothan djenin the  mar- 
seillaise— a  storm "  sir,  your  revolver,  the  bedou- 
INS ! " 

Sunday,  April  19. 

E  had  wished  to  leave  Jerusalem  at  an  early 

hour,  but  as  Joseph  said  he  could  not  be 

ready,  we  ordered  him  to  be  prompt  at  noon. 

One  o'clock  came  but  no  Joseph,  and  the 

mooks  informed  us  that  he  has  not  paid  them. 

Messrs.  Beadel  and  Mr.  Rogers  determined  to  submit 
to  his  impositions  no  longer,  but  leave  the  camp  and 
refer  the  matter  to  the  American  Consul.  Shortly  after 
their  departure,  Joseph  who  had  heard  of  it,  and  had 
succeeded  in  effecting  a  loan,  came  to  say  he  was  ready ; 
and  through  the  intercession  of  Mr.  Ferris  the  others 
were  finally  persuaded  to  return,  and  we  eventually 
left  at  three  p.m.  It  soon  after  commenced  to  rain,  and 
we  stopped  for  the  night  at  El-Birah,  half  an  hour's 
journey  from  Bethel,  and  encamped  near  a  picturesque 
Arab  fountain. 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  253 

Monday,  April  20. 

At  seven  this  morning  we  passed  Bethel,  situated  on 
a  steep  rock,  to-day  an  insignificant  village,  only  inte- 
resting to  the  traveller  by  its  religious  associations. 
Here  it  was  that  Abraham  pastured  his  flock,  and  here 
that  Jacob's  dream  took  place.  "  And  he  called  the 
name  of  that  place  Beth-el :  but  the  name  of  that  city 
was  called  Luz  at  the  first."  As  we  had  a  long  way 
before  us,  we  were  not  sorry  to  see  the  sky  overcast, 
and  rode  bravely  on,  remarking  with  pleasure  that 
the  more  we  advanced  towards  Samaria  the  pleasanter 
and  richer  was  the  country.  We  passed  several  small 
villages,  surrounded  by  the  Mounts  of  Ephraim,  in 
ancient  times  celebrated  for  their  vineyards  ;  to-day  arid 
and  naked,  except  that  from  place  to  place  we  could 
see  a  few  vines  and  olive-trees.  Passing  through  Ain- 
el-Haramyeh  (spring  of  the  forty  robbers),  a  green  and 
inviting  valley,  with  water  running  in  its  midst,  Joseph 
told  us  to  keep  close  together,  as  it  deserves  its  bad 
reputation  ;  and  one  hour  and  a  half  after  we  stopped 
for  lunch  before  the  ruins  of  Shiloh. 

The  grapes  were  ripe,  the  vintage  at  its  full,  and  the 
fair  maidens  of  Shiloh  rested  from  their  labors  of  gath- 
ering the  luscious  fruit. 

As  was  their  custom  at  this  season,  a  feast  was 
held,  and  praise  given  unto  the  Lord  for  all  His  good- 
ness. The  girls  had  come  forth  to  dance  upon  the 
green,  keeping  time  to  the  cymbals  and  the  reeds. 
The  skies  were  clear,  the  air  balsamic,  and  the  gentle 
breeze  only  ruffled  the  shivering  leaves.  The  glee- 
soine  laugh,  and  shout   of  merry  voices   from  happy 


254  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

hearts  told  of  contentment  in  the  present  and  hope  in 
the  future. 

But  hark !  What  noise  is  that  coming  from  the  vine- 
yards near  by  ?  The  dance  is  suddenly  interrupted ; 
armed  men  by  the  score  hastily  appear;  the  maidens 
scream,  running  hither  and  thither  in  their  alarm. 
Haste,  men  of  Shiloh,  haste  if  you  would  save  your 
dearest  and  best — possessions  more  precious  to  you  than 
house  and  land.  Too  late,  too  late !  each  sturdy  pair  of 
arms  clasps  a  light  form,  and  the  stifled  cry  can  give  no 
notice  to  fathers,  brothers,  friends. 

A  hasty  wooing,  faith,  and  none  of  the  quietest ;  but 
the  daughters  of  Shiloh  made  for  the  sons  of  Ben- 
jamin exemplary  wives,  and  for  their  children  faith- 
ful mothers. 

Here  was  the  tabernacle  deposited  after  the  conquest 
of  the  country,  and  here  the  partition  of  the  territory 
between  the  twelve  tribes  took  place. 

It  was  in  Shiloh  that  young  Samuel  was  brought  to 
Eli  ("  And  they  slew  a  bullock,  and  brought  the  child  to 
Eli  ")  ;  and  here  also  that  the  great  high  priest  died  sud- 
denly, after  having  learned  the  defeat  of  his  sons,  and 
the  taking  of  the  ark  by  the  Philistines ;  after  which 
event  Shiloh  commenced  to  lose  its  importance. 

The  day  was  now  getting  darker  and  darker,  and 
when  we  passed  before  Joseph's  Tomb  and  Jacob's 
Well  it  was  raining  hard,  and  we  hurried  to  our  en- 
campment, which  was  pitched  just  outside  the  walls  of 
Naplouse.  This  ancient  city,  the  Sichem  of  the  Bible, 
is  delightfully  situated  on  a  slope  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Gerizim,  amid  rushing  waters,  olive  orchards,  and  palm- 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL.  255 

trees.  Having  passed  through  the  whole  town  by  a 
series  of  narrow  and  crooked  streets,  often  covered  with 
vaulting,  badly  paved,  and  made  so  slippery  with  the 
rain  that  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  our  horses 
could  retain  their  footing,  it  was  a  relief  for  us  to  dis- 
mount, and,  while  waiting  for  dinner,  rest  our  weary 
limbs. 

The  rain  ceased  early  in  the  evening,  one  by  one  the 
stars  made  their  appearance  in  the  heavens,  and  every 
sign  indicated  a  bright  day  for  our  visit  to  Mount 
Gerizim,  Joseph's  Tomb,  and  Jacob's  Well,  on  the 
morrow. 

Tuesday,  April  21. 

From  the  long  ride  of  yesterday  my  sprained  foot  was 
so  sore,  it  was  thought  prudent  that  I  should  remain 
at  home  during  the  morning,  and  start  with  the  servants 
and  mules  for  the  next  place  of  encampment,  Sebastia, 
the  ancient  Samaria. 

It  was  not  without  regret  that  I  gave  up  the  idea  of 
resting  at  the  same  place  where  Jesus,  tired,  had  sat, 
while  .His  disciples  went  to  Sychar  to  get  bread,  and 
where  He  had  asked  of  the  astonished  Samaritan  woman 
a  drink  of  water.  The  weather  was  warm  and  de- 
lightful; and  while  the  servants  were  folding  the  tents 
I  sat  under  the  shade  of  a  large  tree  facing  the  village, 
flanked  on  either  side  by  the  Mounts  Ebal  and  Geri- 
zim, and  recalled  to  mind  all  the  historic  associations 
of  Sichera. 

It  was  here  that  Abraham  pitched  his  tent;  here  that 
Jacob  bought  a  field,  and  made  his  servants  dig  the 


256  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

famous  well ;  here  that  Simeon  and  Levi  massacred  all 
the  men  of  Sichem,  to  avenge  their  sister  Dinah,  and 
four  centuries  later  it  was  at  this  same  place  that  the 
tribes,  under  conduct  of  Joshua,  assembled,  and  built  on 
Mount  Ebal  an  altar  where  were  inscribed  the  words  of 
the  law.  It  was  on  Mount  Gerizim  that  Jotham,  after 
the  massacre  of  the  seventy  sons  of  Gideon  by  Abime- 
lech,  repeated  his  celebrated  fable,  the  most  ancient  in 
the  world  (Judges  ix.  8-16),  1236  years  b.c  It  was 
after  the  death  of  Solomon  that  Rehoboam  went  to 
Ephraim  to  be  named  king ;  but  his  great  pride  caused 
the  Israelites  to  revolt.  From  that  time  the  empire  of 
David  was  divided  into  two  separate  kingdoms,  and  they 
raised  to  a  separate  throne  one  of  their  own  tribe, 
Jeroboam,  chief  of  Ephraim  and  of  Manasses,  who  had 
been  the  soul  of  the  revolution.  After  the  return 
from  captivity  in  Babylon,  the  men  of  Samaria  sent  a 
deputation  to  Jerusalem  to  ask  permission  to  contribute 
their  part  to  the  work  and  expense  of  the  reconstruction 
of  the  Temple  and  the  walls ;  but  they  were  disdainfully 
refused,  and  the  Jews  would  not  even  admit  their  claims 
to  be  descendants  of  Abraham.  From  thence  dated  the 
hatred  which  always  existed  between  the  two  peoples ; 
so  much  more  profound,  being  both  political  and  re- 
ligious. Then  it  was  that  a  temple,  in  all  parts  similar 
to  that  of  Jerusalem,  was  built  on  the  top  of  Mount 
Gerizim. 

But  the  time  for  our  departure  was  approaching ;  the 
mifles  were  nearly  ready ;  the  muleteers,  as  is  generally 
the  case,  were  making  a  great  noise,  while  about  fifty 
of  the  inhabitants  were  looking  on.     Mohammed,  who 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  257 

was  to  be  my  guide,  came  to  tell  me  that  it  would  be 
better  for  us  to  start  and  be  in  advance  of  the  mules; 
so  mounting  our  horses,  with  the  cook  as  a  rear-guard, 
we  left  Naplouse. 

Our  two  hours'  ride  was  very  pleasant,  though  some- 
times the  path,  leading  up  a  desolate,  stony,  and  arid 
mountain,  would  be  very  difficult,  and  then  so  steep  in 
descending  that  I  was  forced  to  dismount  and  walk, 
leaning  on  Mohammed's  arm. 

The  richness  of  the  country  in  approaching  Sebastia 
was  enchanting.  I  could  not  feast  my  eyes  enough  on 
the  well- cultivated  fields,  the  forests  of  olive-trees,  and 
the  various  flowers  which  crowned,  as  a  garland,  the 
edges  of  the  road.  At  one  o'clock  we  stopped  for  lunch 
in  a  delightful  spot,  and  Mohammed  made  me  understand 
that  we  had  to  wait  here  for  the  mules  to  pass  us,  as  we 
were  only  ten  minutes'  ride  from  the  place  where  we 
were  to  encamp  that  night.  We  let  the  horses  loose, 
and  I  extended  myself  full  length  on  the  grass,  while 
Mohammed  spread  a  cloth  and  prepared  my  lunch ;  then 
going  to  a  respectful  distance,  he  sat  on  the  ground  and 
commenced  to  eat  his  black  bread.  Calling  the  faithful 
servant,  I  gave  him  some  of  my  cold  chicken,  eggs,  and 
oranges ;  and  though  he  accepted  with  some  hesitation, 
it  was  a  pleasure  to  see  with  what  a  smile  of  delight  he 
enjoyed  his  meal.  I  still  had  a  piece  of  bread  left  for 
Saladin,  who  at  the  sight  approached  and  ate  it ;  and 
then  I  gave  way  to  the  sweet  revery  that  fell  upon  me. 
The  valley  was  full  of  wild  flowers,  of  which  Mohammed 
was  making  a  collection  for  me ;  behind  was  an  orchard 
of  apple-trees,  loaded  with  fruit ;  at  my  feet  a  rivulet 


258  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

was  running ;  and  the  hills  opposite  were  covered  with 
olive-trees  in  full  blossom. 

Soon  we  saw  our  baggage  approaching ;  but  we  did 
not  leave  our  resting-place  until  we  thought  our  tents 
were  pitched  and  in  readiness ;  and  it  was  three  o'clock 
when  we  arrived  at  the  camp  near  the  village  of  Se- 
bastia,  through  which  we  passed,  composed  of  about 
sixty  houses,  solidly  built  with  the  fragments  of  old 
ruins,  which  we  met  at  every  step.  It  is  situated  on  a 
platform,  a  little  below  the  summit  of  Mount  Summer. 
The  ancient  city  Samaria  was  founded  925  years  b.c. 
by  Omri  (1  Kings  xvi.  24),  and  became  the  capital  of 
the  kingdom  of  Israel.  It  then  extended  over  the  en- 
tire hill.  But  few  traces  now  remain,  as  almost  all  the 
ruins,  as  I  have  already  stated,  have  been  utilized  for 
the  construction  of  the  houses  of  the  village,  and  the 
numerous  terraces  which  sustain  the  gardens  on  the 
hill-side. 

Our  encampment  was  on  the  site  where  the  temples 
of  Baal  and  Augustus  were  elevated ;  the  former  erected 
by  Ahab  the  son  of  Omri,  who  did  evil  in  the  sight  of 
the  Lord  above  all  that  were  before  him,  and  who  mar- 
ried the  daughter  of  Ethbaal,  king  of  the  Zidonians, — 
that  Jezebel  who  procured  the  death  of  Naboth,  so 
that  she  might  obtain  for  the  king  her  husband  his 
vineyard  at  Jezreel,  near  the  palace,  and  which  the 
king  wanted  for  a  garden.  For  this  wickedness  Elijah 
prophesied  that  the  blood  of  Ahab  and  all  belonging  to 
him  should  be  licked  up  by  dogs,  as  was  the  blood  of 
Naboth. 

In  the  fine  house  at  Jezreel,  built  in.  the  gardens  which 


THE   NIL03IETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  259 

had  been  the  vineyard  of  Naboth,  dwelt  Jezebel  when 
Jehu  came  as  conqueror  to  Samaria.  "Why  should  she 
not  captivate  the  new  king?  So  she  caused  her  servants 
to  paint  her  face,  dress  her  hair,  and  then  sat  herself  at 
the  open  window. 

But  these  blandishments  were  lost  on  the  warrior, 
who  caused  the  eunuchs  to  cast  her  down,  and  her  body 
was  trodden  under  foot  by  his  horses.  Having  entered 
and  refreshed  himself,  he  bethought  him  to  order  the 
body  to  be  buried  ;  but  the  skull,  feet,  and  palms  of  the 
hands  was  all  that  the  fierce  dogs  had  left  of  the  once 
proud  and  powerful  queen. 

We  found  many  columns  still  standing,  and  the  view 
we  had  was  magnificent ;  all  the  mountains  of  Ephraim, 
and  a  part  of  the  beautiful  plain  of  Sharon,  to  the  Medi- 
terranean, was  before  us.  "When  Aline  and  the  gentle- 
men arrived  they  said  the  view  they  had  had  from  the 
top  of  Mount  Gerizim  was  somewhat  similar,  but  cer- 
tainly not  handsomer.  This  was  a  consolation  for  having 
been  unable  to  accompany  them  ;  and  the  flowers  they 
brought  me  from  Joseph's  Tomb  and  Jacob's  Well  went 
the  same  evening  to  enrich  my  album. 

Wednesday,  April  23. 

This  morning  we  were  up  at  sunrise,  and  the  chang- 
ing colors  of  hills  and  valleys,  as  they  were  successively 
illuminated  by  the  orb  of  day,  lent  an  additional  charm 
to  the  prospect. 

As  soon  as  we  had  breakfasted,  some  of  the  party  went 
to  visit  a  handsome  ruin  occupying  a  conspicuous  place 
in  the  village.     It  was  the  ancient  Church  of  St.  John, 


260  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

to-day  a  mosque,  built  by  the  Crusaders  in  1150  and 
11S0,  on  the  site  of  an  old  basilica  which  was  said  to 
cover  the  sepulchre  of  St.  John  the  Baptist.  But  as  it 
was  too  difficult,  with  my  lame  foot,  to  dismount,  I  had 
to  be  content  with  a  view  of  the  exterior;  and  as  Aline 
and  Tom  had  visited  it  the  day  previous,  leaving  the 
others,  we  started  in  advance,  headed  by  the  dragoman. 
They  soon  rejoined  us,  and  we  commenced  a  really 
hard  day's  journey,  for  Joseph  repeatedly  lost  the  road, 
which  kept  us  in  the  saddle  for  nearly  ten  hours.  But 
while  my  companions  all  felt  more  or  less  fatigue  from 
their  excursion  of  the  preceding  day,  I  was  in  high 
spirits,  enjoying  my  ride  exceedingly,  as  the  scenery  the 
whole  way  was  very  fine.  We  passed  several  large  vil- 
lages of  little  importance  in  ancient  times. 

A  short  time  before  arriving  at  Djeba,  near  El-Fande- 
koumieh,  and  while  on  top  of  the  mountain,  a  grand 
panorama  was  spread  before  us.  All  the  heights  were 
towards  the  west,  and  the  luxuriant  green  valleys  were 
sloping  towards  the  Mediterranean,  whose  azure  blended 
with  the  heavens  at  the  horizon.  We  stopped  for  lunch 
on  a  mountain  covered  with  various  beautiful  trees  ;  the 
heat  was  intense,  and  Mr.  Ferris,  not  feeling  well,  after 
resting  for  an  hour  decided  to  go  with  Mrs.  Ferris  directly 
to  Djenin,  while  we  proposed  to  visit  Dothan  or  Dothain 
(the  two  pits),  where  Joseph  was  placed  when  sold  by 
his  brethren. 

The  descent  from  the  mountain  into  Kabalyeh  was 
very  difficult.  Imagine  a  steep  declivity,  with  no  path  to 
guide  you,  constantly  encountering  large,  slippery  flat 
stones,  on  which  the  horses  would  slide  as  on  ice.     Being 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL.  261 

now  accustomed  to  Saladin — I  knew  he  was  very  sure- 
footed— I  had  therefore  no  fear,  and  we  arrived  safely 
at  the  village,  which  has  a  bad  reputation,  and  passed 
without  appearing  to  be  noticed  by  the  inhabitants.  A 
guide  was  then  taken  by  Joseph,  and  one  hour's  ride 
brought  us  to  a  verdant  hill  called  to-day  Arabe,  and  in 
ancient  times  Dothan. 

We  were  shown  two  dry  pits.  Are  these  the  true 
ones  ?     Have  faith !     Let  us  be  content  to  believe  it. 

And  now  it  is  time  we  should  return  to  camp.  It  is 
yet  a  two  hours'  ride ;  the  sun  is  setting,  the  atmosphere 
is  becoming  cooler ;  clouds  are  gathering  in  the  sky,  and 
Joseph,  who  does  not  know  the  road,  leads  us  across 
field  after  field.  At  last  we  are  on  the  right  path,  and 
far,  far  in  the  distance,  the  snowy  peak  of  Hermon  is 
visible. 

At  six  o'clock  we  arrived  very  tired  at  Djenin,  and 
dismounted  before  our  tents.  Djenin,  as  well  as  the 
surrounding  country,  has  a  very  bad  reputation,  and  all 
travellers  going  either  to  Nazareth  or  Naplouse  encamp 
near  the  same  spot,  so  as  to  be  a  protection  to  each 
other.  At  least  fifty  tents  were  pitched  in  the  valley, 
the  greater  number  bearing  the  American  flag.  Our 
caravan  arrived  late,  and  the  best  locations  having  been 
chosen,  our  mooks  selected  for  the  camp  a  bit  of  low- 
lying  meadow-land,  which  Tom  observed  upon  our  arri- 
val, and  remarked  that  in  case  of  rain  we  would  be 
submerged. 

In  the  evening  Aline  and  Mr.  Rogers  went  to  visit 
the  Johnson  and  Amory  parties,  whom  we  found  here, 
and,  more  fortunate  than  ourselves,  were  encamped  on 


262  THE   NILOMETEK   AND    THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

a  hillock  near.    When  they  returned  we  had  all  retired, 
and  rain  had  commenced  to  fall. 

Thursday,  April  24. 

The  rain  in  Syria  does  not  fall — it  pours ;  and  as  it 
did  not  cease  all  night,  we  were  awoke  in  the  morning 
by  the  voices  of  Charles  and  Henry  Beadel  calling  lus- 
tily to  have  their  tent  removed,  for  on  awakening  they 
found  it  flooded,  and  even  their  beds  were  wet.  We 
were  fortunate  enough  to  escape  such  a  mishap,  and 
while  taking  breakfast  in  our  tent,  where  a  brasier  filled 
with  live  coals  was  placed,  were  occasionally  saluted 
with  "  Are  you  dry  yet  ?  " 

The  day  passed  wearily  away  talking,  reading,  eat- 
ing (each  one  of  us  being  carried  to  the  dining  saloon 
by  servants).  In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Rogers  went  with 
Mr.  Beadel,  Sr.,  through  the  mud  to  the  village,  and 
returned  with  a  glowing  description  of  the  beautiful 
country,  and  brought  us  roses  and  orange-flowers  from 
the  gardens  he  had  so  admired.  There  is  a  merry 
French  party  near,  who  evidently  enjoy  themselves,  and 
at  dinner  became  so  lively  that  until  late  in  the  evening 
song  after  song  resounded  from  their  tents ;  and  as  they 
knew  not  that  under  that  American  flag  hard  by  were 
two  French  ladies  who  could  hear  and  understand  every 
word  they  uttered,  were  gay  without  affectation ;  and  to 
them  we  were  thankful  for  the  few  pleasant  hours  passed 
that  day,  and  fell  asleep  listening  to  their  songs  of  "Mar- 
got  la  Belle  "  and  the  "Marseillaise." 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACEED    SOIL.  263 

Friday,  April  25. 

The  rain  did  not  abate  through  the  night,  and  it  was 
only  at  half-past  ten  a.m.  that  the  clouds  broke  and  the 
first  rays  of  the  sun  came  to  apprise  us  of  approaching 
good  weather.  It  was  amusing  to  witness  with  what 
rapidity  the  tents  were  folded,  the  baggage  was  loaded 
on  the  mules,  and  camp  after  camp  left  the  place. 

As  we  knew  it  would  be  impossible  to  reach  Kaifa,  at 
the  foot  of  Mount  Carmel,  that  night,  it  being  a  ride  of 
fourteen  to  fifteen  hours,  we  did  not  hurry,  and  it  was 
half-past  eleven  when  we  mounted  our  horses.  We 
were  en  route  but  half  an  hour  when  a  heavy  shower 
surprised  us,  the  rain  and  hail  lasting  at  least  fifteen 
minutes ;  our  waterproofs  proving  but  poor  coverings, 
while  our  horses,  half  blinded,  stopped  short,  turning 
their  backs  to  the  storm.  The  roads  being  very  wet, 
and  the  ground  soft  and  muddy,  we  could  advance  but 
slowly ;  and  after  four  hours'  ride,  having  twice  forded 
the  Kishon,  we  chose  our  place  of  encampment  in  a 
green  valley  not  far  from  the  road,  and  there  took  lunch 
while  the  tents  were  being  pitched. 

Soon  we  saw  the  Amory  party  pass,  who  encamped 
a  short  distance  beyond  us.  "While  dinner  was  being 
prepared  every  one  retired  to  their  tents  to  take  a  nap. 
We  were  in  the  land  of  dreams,  and  night  was  approach- 
ing, when  the  sound  of  a  gun  suddenly  awoke  us ;  we 
heard  the  raised  voices  of  the  muleteers,  the  mules  and 
horses  running  to  and  fro,  and  Joseph  rushed  into  the 
tent,  exclaiming  :  "  Sir,  your  revolver,  the  Bedouins  !  " 
Half  dreaming   and  half  awake,   this   announcement 


264  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SODL. 

sounded  terrifically  in  our  ears,  and  while  Tom  rushed 
to  the  scene  of  danger  we  supplicated  Henry  Beadel, 
who  was  following  him,  to  remain  with  us,  for  we  were 
really  frightened.  Until  then  we  had  believed  but 
little  in  attacks  of  Bedouins  ;  we  had  even  jested 
about  them,  wishing  to  have  the  luck  of  an  encounter  ; 
but  at  the  approach  of  danger  all  the  stories  we  had 
heard  came  back  to  our  minds,  and  for  my  part  I 
already  fancied  I  was"  carried  oif  by  an  Arab  chief, 
tied  behind  him  on  his  horse,  riding  at  a  fearful 
rate  over  mounts  and  valleys  to  the  place  of  his 
abode. 

How  quickly  our  imagination  travels  !  Bang  !  bang ! 
three,  four,  five  shots  were  heard,  then  all  was  silent 
again ;  and  a  few  minutes  after  Tom  entered  the  tent  with 
his  pistol  smoking,  and  told  us  there  was  nothing  to  fear ; 
that  when  they  arrived  on  the  road,  though  it  was  already 
dark,  they  saw  some  Bedouins  ride  rapidly  past ;  that 
one  turned  around  and  fired ;  our  people  returned  it, 
but  as  it  was  too  dark  to  aim  well,  they  did  not  think 
they  had  wounded  any,  as  they  did  not  slacken  the  speed 
of  their  horses.  It  was,  then,  but  a  bloodless  skirmish, 
which  made  a  subject  for  conversation  during  our  din- 
ner, and  it  was  only  the  next  morning  that  we  heard 
that  the  rascally  marauders  had  stolen  two  fine  horses 
from  the  Amory  camp. 

Our  animals  were  tethered  between  the  tents ;  our 
muleteers  kept  guard  part  of  the  night,  and  Mohammed, 
our  servant,  lay  down  across  our  door-way,  so  as  to  be 
aroused  by  the  least  noise  ;  but  when  Tom  got  up  in  the 
night,  and  went  out  to  reconnoitre,  he  found  every  one 


THE    NTLOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  265 

asleep,  and  passed  and  repassed  over  Mohammed's  body 
without  awaking  him.  But  the  assurance  that  he  would 
keep  guard  procured  us  a  profound  and  refreshing 
slumber. 

12 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PROVINCE     OF     GALILEE — PLAIN     OF     ESDRAELON — MOUNT 

CARMEL THE  DESERTERS "  THE  TURKEY  ATE  IT,  SIR" 

NAZARETH — CHURCH  OF  THE  ANNUNCIATION — JOSEPH'S 
WORKSHOP — FOUNTAIN  OF  THE  VIRGIN — RHAPSODY  AND 
FACTS — CAN  A — PLAIN  OF  HATTIN — TD3ERIADE — SEA  OF 
GALILEE. 

Saturday,  April  26,  1868. 
HE  province  of  Galilee,"  says  Dixon,  "has 
always  been  considered  the  garden  of  Syria. 
Everything  grows  on  its  soil,  from  the  Cas- 
pian walnut  to  the  Egyptian  palm.  While 
the  hills  of  Judea  are  stern  and  barren,  and  the  meadows 
of  Sharon  burnt  and  dry,  these  wadies  of  Galilee  are 
almost  everywhere  laughing  with  herbs  and  flowers. 

"  A  forest  of  oak  clothes  the  side  of  Mount  Carmel ; 
cedar  clumps  nestle  in  the  clefts  of  Mount  Hermon ; 
myrtles  enlarge  into  trees,  and  myriads  of  orange  blos- 
soms throw  their  scent  into  the  air.  Every  hill  is  a 
vineyard,  every  bottom  a  corn-field. 

"  The  Delta  of  the  Nile  is  not  more  sunny ;  the  Yega 
of  Granada  is  not  more  picturesque  ;  the  Ghota  of  Da- 
mascus is  not  more  green  and  bright.  For  here  the 
fierce  sun  and  the  refreshing  rain  come  together,  and 
water  flows  through  Galilee  not  in  tanks  and  pools, 
but  poured  out  royally  towards  the  sea  in  streams." 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  267 

Such  indeed  was  the  character  of  the  country  we 
travelled  through  that  day,  and  though  we  had  a  fa- 
tiguing ride  of  nine  hours,  for  the  rain  had  changed  the 
many  rivulets  we  had  to  cross  into  as  many  little  streams, 
and  often  our  horses  would  sink  into  marshy  and  muddy 
ground  to  their  chests,  no  one  complained ;  and  our 
lunch  was  taken  under  the  shade  of  the  oaks  of  Carmel, 
overlooking  the  lovely  plain  of  Esdraelon,  the  battle- 
field of  Israel. 

How  charming  was  the  approach  to  Ka'ifa!  How 
gorgeous  looked  the  setting  sun  beyond  the  blue  Medi- 
terranean, just  then  calm  as  a  lake,  while  we  could 
see  St.  Jean  d'Acre  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  bay. 
We  postponed  our  ascent  of  Mount  Carmel  until 
the  following  morning,  and  after  dinner  took  a  stroll  on 
the  beach,  amusing  ourselves  gathering  shells. 

Sunday,  April  27. 

To  horse  at  eight,  and  leaving  our  beautiful  camping 
ground  by  the  shore,  embowered  in  trees,  and  hedged 
in  by  cacti,  we  take  our  way  along  the  plain  where  the 
husbandmen  are  busy  at  their  labors,  pass  through  an 
orchard  of  olive-trees  skirting  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
and  soon  commence  the  ascent  of  the  steep,  rough  stair- 
case, cut  in  the  rock,  about  half  a  mile  in  length,  which 
leads  to  the  eyrie  of  "  Our  Lady  of  Carmel." 

The  ascent  over  these  shelves  and  banks  is  a  danger- 
ous pilgrimage,  not  to  be  undertaken  too  late  in  the 
afternoon  :  you  want  the  full  daylight  to  lead  your  horse 
up  and  over  the  slippery  white  stones  edging  a  precipice 


268  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED    SODL. 

where  a  single  false  step,  or  a  sudden  start  of  the  animal 
might  precipitate  yon  into  the  abyss. 

But  the  noble  beast  knows  the  way ;  he  mounts 
rapidly,  stopping  by  the  way-side  neither  at  cross  nor 
chapel,  which  at  intervals  invite  the  pilgrim  to  rest  and 
pray ;  and  soon  we  have  before  us  the  pharos,  a  beacon 
to  the  storm-tossed  mariner — a  guide  to  the  worldling 
in  the  plain  below. 

Suddenly  turning  a  sharp  angle  of  the  rock  to  the 
left,  we  find  ourselves  before  the  convent  door,  and  our 
arrival  announced  by  the  furious  barking  of  two  enor- 
mous black  dogs.  We  are  welcomed  by  Father  Pedro, 
a  merry-looking  little  Italian  priest,  who,  after  silencing 
the  faithful  guardians,  invited  us  to  dismount,  and  es- 
corted us  into  the  refectory,  where  we  were  served  with 
lemonade,  syrup,  and  spiced  wine. 

While  entering  our  names  in  the  visitors'  book,  the 
chant  of  the  monks  at  mass  in  the  chapel  below  came 
floating  to  us  by  the  open  window. 

Father  Pedro  led  the  way,  and  soon  we  were  kneeling, 
with  others  who  had  come  up  from  Kaifa,  before  the 
altar  of  "  Our  Lady,"  while  the  perfume  of  the  incense 
lingered  above  the  shrine. 

High,  high  up  on  this  .mount,  where  the  soul  seems 
nearer  its  heaven,  sectarianism  disappears  :  Roman  and 
Protestant  worship  together,  feeling  only  the  presence 
of  the  one  living  God.  Never  had  these  offerings,  these 
prayers,  these  songs  of  the  priests,  found  a  devouter  au- 
dience. No  hum  of  a  busy  city,  no  outer  sound,  save 
the  warbling  of  the  birds,  to  disturb  the  solemn  stillness, 
as  our  prayers  found  their  way  to  the  Almighty  throne. 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  269 

And  then  Father  Pedro  took  us  through  the  many 
neatly  furnished  rooms  reserved  for  the  use  of  travellers 
desiring  to  remain  for  a  few  days  at  the  convent ;  and 
we  were  surprised  to  find  that  several  were  double- 
bedded.  k 

Although  the  marriage  tie  is  eschewed  by  these 
worthy  anchorites,  they  consider  it  no  myth,  but  have 
provided  appropriately  for  those  inore  or  less  fortunate 
than  themselves — non-believers  in  celibacy. 

But  this  was  our  limit.  The  entrance  to  the  cloisters 
is  forbidden  to  the  softer  sex ;  and  the  extended  view 
which  greeted  the  eyes  of  our  male  companions  was 
lost  to  us — nay,  only  lost  in  part,  for  we  were  six  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  Mediterranean,  and  then  we  thought 
that  all  this  loveliness,  extending  far,  far  around,  had 
been  gazed  upon  not  only  by  the  prophet  Elijah,  but  by 
our  Saviour  Christ. 

From  the  Convent  of  Carmel,  on  this  bold  headland 
jutting  into  the  sea  from  the  mountain  range,  and  over- 
looking the  rich  plain,  the  indented  shore,  and  shallow 
bay,  the  eye  stretches  over  the  immense  expanse  of 
waters,  the  crests  of  whose  billows  sparkle  in  the  noon- 
day sun.  At  our  feet,  and  on  a  line  with  the  shingly 
fringe  of  the  sea,  nestle  the  white  walls  of  the  Arab 
town  of  Ka'ifa,  in  contiguity  with  our  own  snowy  tents. 
Beyond  and  around  the  circle  of  the  open  bay,  those 
bristling  ramparts  and  tall  minarets  mark  where  stands 
Acre,  coveted  and  conquered  by  the  Crusaders,  as  the 
jpoint  Wajpjpui  for  their  future  conquests ;  held  and  de- 
fended by  the  English  when  besieged  by  ISTapoleon, 
whose  early  idea  was  the  founding  of  a  mighty  empire 


270  THE   NILOHETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

in  those  countries  once  so  rich  in  worldly  wealth,  com- 
manding, as  they  did,  the  commerce  of  "further  Ind  " 
and  of  the  world. 

Beyond  Acre  see  you  yon  promontory,  the  apparent 
duplicate  to  that  on  which  you  stand  ?  Kear  that  point 
of  Capo  Blanco  must  have  been  the  dividing-line  between 
the  realms  of  King  Solomon  and  those  of  Hiram. 

His  magnificent  capital  close  by  the  sea-side,  once  so 
proud,  is  now  so  debased  that  the  poor  hind  who  tills 
the  soil  knows  not  that  he  is  delving  in  imperial  dust. 
Even  the  Tyrian  dye,  once  so  famous  that  its  use  was 
an  exclusive  privilege  of  royalty,  is  lost  forever.  The 
Lebanon  hills,  receding  from  the  coast,  still  have  living 
timber  which  was  young,  too  young  to  cut,  when  king 
Hiram  furnished  the  cedars  for  the  building  of  the  Tem- 
ple ;  but  kings  and  kingdoms,  palaces  and  cities,  ay, 
even  the  Temple  itself,  dedicated  to  the  ever-living  God, 
is  gone,  and  naught  is  left  but  those  frail  young  sap- 
lings. 

Beyond  and  farther  off  we  plainly  see  the  high  peaks 
of  Hermon,  eternal  winter  crowning  its  top  with  a 
diadem  of  icicles.  Farther  to  the  right,  over  beyond 
Kaifa,  and  anent  that  valley  where  you  see  flowing  the 
gentle  Kishon,  coming  from  out  the  fertile  plains  of 
Esdraelon,  the  battle-field  of  Israel, — fertile  with  the 
black  blood  and  bleached  bones  of  thousands  of  victims 
of  ambitious  rulers, — lie  the  woody,  park-like  hills  of 
smiling  Galilee,  the  pleasantest  land  of  all  the  East, 
where  from  infancy  to  manhood  the  Redeemer  lived 
and  taught. 

But  Father  Pedro,  who  has  probably  had  this  picture 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL.  271 

"  spread  "  before  him  an  hundred,  or  it  may  be  a  thou- 
sand times,  gently  insinuates  that  there  is  a  "  spread  " 
in  the  refectory  more  substantial,  and  therefore  more 
suited  to  his  taste. 

Taking  another  hasty  glance  afar,  and  noticing  near 
that  the  only  ground  cultivated  by  the  monks  was  a 
small  garden,  and  the  only  trees  grown  a  few  olives ; 
that  walls,  bolts  to  doors,  and  bars  to  windows  were  in 
favor  ;  the  conclusion  is  irresistibly  forced  on  the  mind 
that  bold  marauders,  and  thieves  who  prowl  by  night, 
were  not  far  distant  from  this  "  sacred  soil." 

Following  the  pleasant  little  monk,  we  were  soon 
seated  at  the  homely  board,  partaking  of  a  plain  though 
hospitable  lunch. 

The  origin  of  this  convent  is  very  remote,  for  the 
priests  date  their  order  from  the  time  of  the  prophet 
Elisha,  who  received  from  the  high-priest  Eli  possession 
of  his  grotto,  on  which  in  later  years  a  monastery  was 
built. 

In  1185  it  was  in  ruins,  but  in  1209  it  was  repaired, 
and  belonged  to  the  order  of  the  Carmelites.  But  it 
appears  that  both  convent  and  church  were  several 
times  destroyed  and  rebuilt.  In  1821  it  was  demo- 
lished by  order  of  Abdallah  Pacha,  the  governor  of 
St.  Jean  d'Acre ;  and  afterwards  a  simple  priest  named 
John  Baptist,  having  by  the  intercession  of  the  French 
ambassador  obtained  a  firman  of  reconstruction,  travel- 
led over  Europe  during  fourteen  years  to  collect  pious 
donations  for  the  construction  of  the  present  build- 
ing, occupying  the  platform  at  the  north-western 
extremity  of  the  Cape. 


272  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

The  Mediterranean  is  not  always  as  calm  as  it  then 
appeared,  and  its  shores  have  witnessed  many  a  ship- 
wreck. On  such  occasions  the  good  priests  have  dis- 
tinguished themselves  by  their  courage  in  trying  to 
save  some  unfortunate  voyagers,  and  many  memorials 
are  recorded  in  the  visitors'  book  by  the  wrecked, 
showing  the  tender  care  and  kind  hospitality  which 
they  have  here  found. 

Depositing  an  alms  for  the  benefit  of  the  institution, 
and  with  benedictions  from  the  monks,  we  made  our 
adieux. 

Before  leaving  the  mount,  Tom  conducted  us  to  the 
plateau  at  the  rear  of  the  buildings,  where  he  obtained 
a  good  view ;  we  then  descended  in  safety  the  rough 
roadway  cut  in  the  side  of  the  beetling  crag,  and  galloped 
across  orchard  and  plain  back  to  our  pleasant  tent  home 
on  the  beach,  over  towards  the  sea. 

Charles  Beadel  has  not  been  feeling  well  since  a  few 
days,  and  as  his  father  and  Mr.  Rogers  are  t^red  of  the 
dragoman  and  their  horses,  and  a  steamer  is  expected 
to  leave  to-morrow  for  Beyrout,  they  have  decided  to 
take  passage  in  it,  and  promise  to  meet  us  at  Damascus. 


Monday,  April  28. 

At  ten  o'clock  we  were  on  the  beach  parting  with 
three  of  our  companions.  As  the  westerly  land  breeze 
caught  the  bellying  sail,  their  little  craft  sped  lightly 
on,  and  with  "  au  revoir  "  to  the  deserters,  we  followed 
with  our  eyes  the  silvery  line  she  left  behind. 

Tom  and  Henry  Beadel  accompanied  them  to  St. 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  273 

Jean  d'Acre,  whence  they  embarked  ;  and  it  was  late  in 
the  afternoon  before  they  returned. 

"  Joseph,"  said  Mr.  Ferris,  calling  the  dragoman 
while  at  dinner,  "  why  do  you  not  give  us  salad,  which 
I  see  is  plentiful  in  Kaifa  and  St.  Jean  ? "  (Mohammed 
had  previously  informed  us  that  Joseph  had  not  bought 
any.)  "  Salad,  sir,  why  I  got  some  this  very  morning. 
Why  have  they  not  placed  it  on  the  table  ? "  Then 
calling  the  second  waiter — "  Hercule,  what  did  you  do 
with  the  salad  ?  "  Then  followed  a  few  words  in  Arabic, 
and  Hercule  promptly  answered :  "  The  turkey  got 
loose  and  ate  it,  sir."  The  lie  was  too  good.  Joseph 
retired  triumphant,  while  our  tent  resounded  for  a  long 
time  with  merry  laughter. 

Tuesday,  April  29. 

We  had  intended  to  start  at  six  o'clock  this  morning, 
but  owing  to  some  difficulty  with  our  dragoman,  we 
only  got  into  our  saddles  at  half-past  seven  ;  the  weather 
was  fine,  the  road  good,  the  scenery  beautiful,  and  Tom 
intended  to  make  us  gallop  a  good  part  of  the  way. 

On  then  through  Kai'fa's  gates  and  walls  of  bleached 
stones ;  across  the  valley  of  the  sparkling  Kishon,  fresh 
from  the  peaks  of  snow-bound  Hermon ;  near  a  camp 
of  Turkish  cavalry ;  up  and  through  the  groves  and  hills 
of  Galilee ;  taking  our  lunch  and  noontide  siesta  under 
the  shade  of  their  enormous  oaks  ;  gathering  the  bright 
wild  flowers  that  carpeted  our  path  as  we  loitered  by 
the  way-side ;  on  to  those  vine-covered  hills  encircling 
Nazareth,  surrounded  by  gardens,  fig  and  olive  trees, 
and  hedges  of  enormous  cactus,  with  scarlet  flowers  in 
full  bloom. 

12* 


274z  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

As  we  were  far  in  advance  of  our  mules,  we  dis- 
mounted at  the  door  of  the  Latin  Convent  and  Church 
of  the  Annunciation,  built  on  the  site  where  once  stood 
the  house  of  the  Holy  Family.  The  original  church 
dates  from  the  time  of  the  Empress  Helena,  which  was 
destroyed  and  rebuilt  in  1620,  and  enlarged  towards  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  It  is  of  medium  size, 
remarkable  for  its  fine  proportions,  possessing  several 
clever  paintings,  and  in  the  choir,  which  is  built  above 
the  crypt,  is  a  figure  of  the  Yirgin,  well  executed  in 
wax,  holding  her  Divine  Son. 

Under  the  great  altar  is  the  chapel  where  the  Annun- 
ciation took  place.  A  fine  picture  represents  it,  sur- 
rounded by  silver  lamps  and  natural  flowers,  while  on 
the  granite  tablet  which  forms  the  pavement  you  read 
these  words :  "  Yerbum  caro  his  factum  est."  Descend- 
ing a  few  steps  we  were  shown  a  small  room  cut  in  the 
rock,  which  is  said  to  be  the  Yirgin's  kitchen ;  and  in 
returning  met  one  of  the  priests,  who  had  just  brought  a 
bouquet  of  fresh  flowers  for  the  altar,  and  kindly  gave 
me  some,  which  I  added  to  my  album. 

"We  passed  a  few  hours  in  the  garden  which  belonged 
to  the  Holy  Family ;  it  is  very  carefully  kept,  and  filled 
with  flowers,  sacred  to  the  pilgrim  and  the  traveller, 
grown  on  the  place  where  He  passed  thirty  years  of  His 
life!  We  visited  the  workshop  of  Joseph,  and  passed 
through  the  village  to  the  Fountain  of  the  Yirgin,  where 
the  fair-haired  girl  would  come  morning  and  evening 
with  her  jar  to  get  water  for  the  household.  Young  dam- 
sels clad  in  loose  white  trousers  and  flowing  blue  robes 
thrown  carelessly  and  gracefully  about  their  forms  and 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED   SOIL.  275 

over  their  heads,  partially  concealing  their  features, 
were  going  to  and  fro,  as  they  were  wont  to  do  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago ;  but  none  so  fair  as  She,  none  with 
the  ideal  beauty  of  the  Christ-mother. 

Wednesday,  April  30. 

"What  is  all  this  you  have  been  writing  yesterday?" 
said  Tom;  "you  seem  to  have  mounted  your  Pegasus 
and  flown  away  to  the  dreamy  land  of  romance.  Did 
you  not  promise  me  to  write  facts,  things  as  you  see 
them,  and  not  let  your  imagination  feed  on  fancy  fare  ? 
You  have  been  looking  through  the  wrong  end  of  my 
lorgnette.  Ah,  yes !  A  pleasant  peep  of  pretty  petti- 
coats in  perspective,  and  dainty  dimity  in  the  distance, 
lending  '  enchantment  to  the  mew.''  Now  turn  the  glass 
and  let  me  take  a  peep.  Bah  !  I  see  a  number  of  half- 
clad,  bare-footed,  dirty  women ;  slaves  of  the  water  jar, 
the  plough,  almost  beasts  of  burden  ;  there  are  no  damsels 
amongst  them,  unless  you  mean  to  designate  children 
by  that  euphonious  title.  Each  of  these  females  is  taken 
as  a  wife  by  the  time  she  attains  the  age  of  thirteen  or 
fourteen,  by  some  filthy  Mussulman  boor,  adding  one  more 
to  his  perhaps  already  overstocked  household,  or  rather 
huthold.  Well,  never  mind,  we  will  call  them  dam- 
sels, and  won't  syllable  the  word.  It  will  not  do  to 
examine  things  too  closely;  we  might  find  fleas  and 
other  parasites.  You  are  right  to  admire  the  painting, 
and  not  inquire  of  what  pigments  the  artist  has  com- 
posed his  brilliant  colors." 

Tom  and  Henry  were  up  very  early,  in  order  to  take 
a  view  of  the  village,  and    at  half-past  seven  we  left 


276  THE   NELOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

Nazareth  for  Tiberiade,  on  the  Sea  of  Genesareth  or 
Galilee.  We  continue  to  be  favored  with  good  weather ; 
our  horses  are  docile  and  obey  the  least  command ; 
every  step  brings  to  remembrance  an  act  in  the  life 
of  the  Son  of  God !  My  heart  is  full  of  pious  thoughts 
and  thankfulness,  and  I  cannot  respire  enough  of  the 
fresh,  perfumed  morning  air. 

Here  is  Cana,  a  pretty  village  surrounded  by  hills 
covered  with  oaks  and  olives  ;  and  on  a  large  open  space 
surrounded  by  fig-trees  a  spring,  where  at  least  twenty 
women  were  busy  washing  or  getting  water.  Saladin 
asked  no  permission,  but  trotted  into  the  midst  of  them 
to  quench  his  thirst,  while  the  women  pleasantly  smiled 
at  me.  Having  rejoined  my  companions,  we  visited  the 
house  containing  the  so-called  miraculous  vases  in  which 
the  water  was  turned  to  wine ;  but  soon  mounted  again 
that  we  might  arrive  early  at  Tiberiade.  We  passed  a 
large  village,  El-Loubieh,  on  the  summit  of  a  little  hill 
covered  with  gardens,  protected  by  hedges  of  enormous 
cacti,  and  having  Mount  Tabor  occasionally  in  sight ; 
crossed  the  plain  of  Hattin,  which  in  1187  was  the 
theatre  of  a  terrible  battle,  where  the  Christian  army, 
under  Guy  of  Lusignan,  was  completely  defeated  by 
Saladin,  and  where  the  true  cross  found  by  Helena  wa3 
forever  lost. 

And  now  the  country  assumes  a  similar  aspect  to  the 
volcanic  country  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Up  and  down  rocky, 
dreary  mountains,  meeting  only  a  few  Bedouins,  who 
stare  at  us  as  we  pass  ;  but  how  magnificent  is  the  view 
we  get  from  the  summit  of  a  mountain  in  approaching 
Tiberiade.     There  is  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  a  limpid  lake, 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  277 

with  the  mountains  of  Safed  to  the  north  ;  the  great 
Hermon,  with  the  sun  shining  on  its  white  and  dazzling 
summit,  to  the  north-east,  while  far  away  to  the  south- 
west is  the  bald  peak  of  Mount  Tabor. 

It  was  half-past  one  when  we  arrived,  quite  exhausted, 
at  the  city  of  Tiberiade,  for  this  was  one  of  the  hot- 
test days  we  had  experienced  in  Palestine,  and  when  we 
sought  a  shady  place  there  were  only  a  few  scattered 
and  sickly  trees,  under  which  were  some  horses  that  we 
had  to  drive  away  before  taking  possession.  Carpets 
were  spread  on  the  ground,  lunch  was  served,  and  we 
tried  to  repose  for  an  hour,  but  it  was  impossible — the 
heat  was  too  intense. 

Tiberiade,  so  rich  in  the  time  of  Christ,  is  now  but  a 
poor  town,  nearly  in  ruins,  having  been  visited  and 
almost  destroyed  by  an  earthquake  in  1837.  It  occupies 
a  narrow  parallelogram  :  on  the  easterly  side  the  houses 
are  built  quite  down  to  the  shore;  on  the  other  three 
sides  is  a  massive  wall,  strengthened  by  towers,  built 
of  hea*vy  basaltic  blocks,  the  citadel  being  at  the  north- 
west angle  ;  but  the  earthquake  injured  it  more  than  a 
fearful  siege  would  have  done.  Everywhere  are  im- 
mense crevices ;  parts  of  walls  fallen  down  or  threaten- 
ing to  do  so ;  large  breaches  affording  numerous  en- 
trances besides  the  only  entire  gate,  which  opens  on  a 
mosque,  also  in  ruins.  The  population,  which  does  not 
exceed  two  thousand  souls,  is  composed  for  the  most 
part  of  Jews,  who  have  come  from  all  parts  of  the  world 
to  pass  their  last  days  on  the  shore  of  this  sea,  and  to  be 
buried  in  this  country. 

Our  tents  were  pitched  by  the  lake,  near  those  of  the 


278  THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

Amory  party,  who  had  arrived  before  ns  ;  and  here  we 
rested  for  several  hours  in  the  midst  of  a  stillness  only 
broken  by  the  wavelets  fretting  on  the  strand  at  our  feet. 
We  could  not  but  be  impressed  by  the  solemn  scene,  and 
yet  it  imparted  a  feeling  of  sadness,  for  everything 
around  was  dead : — ruin  and  desolation  everywhere. 
That  sea  on  which  He  had  so  often  been  ;  whence  had 
been  drawn  the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes  ;  where  He 
had  calmed  the  tempest,  and  on  which  He  had  walked ; 
on  these  shores  where  He  had  chosen  His  disciples,  and 
which  had  been  witness  of  His  miracles  ;  all  was  now 
silent  and  deserted — not  a  sail  upon  its  waters.  The  sur- 
rounding hills,  in  His  time  so  luxuriantly  green  and 
beautiful,  were  now  arid  and  naked ! 

There  is  but  one  boat  in  the  town,  and  some  Jews 
came  to  us  and  proposed  an  excursion ;  but  the  heat 
was  too  great,  and  we  were  too  much  fatigued.  In  the 
evening  we  had  a  visit  from  Mesdames  Amory  and  Suy- 
dam,  and  all  retired  early. 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

CAPERNAUM — HOSPITALITY S AF  ED — KEDESH — UPPER  JOR- 
DAN"  DAN — BANIAS — A    COLD   DAT   ON  HERMON — KEFR- 

HA.OUR TOMB  OF  NIMROD — DAMASCUS — THE  ABANA  AND 

THE     PHARPAR — NAAMAN  THE     LEPER — OLD    ACQUAINT- 
ANCES— THE     CROOKED     STREET      CALLED       STRAIGHT 

MASSACRE     OF     DRUSES    AND   MARONITES. 

Thursday,  May  1,  1868. 

O-DAY  we  travelled  from  Tiberiade  to  Safed 
or  Saphat.  For  a  long  time  we  followed  the 
lake  shore,  which,  after  leaving  Tiberiade,  is 
covered  with  laurels,  now  in  full  bloom  ;  and 
passing  through  large  reeds,  and  thick  bushes  which 
cover  the  plains  of  Genesareth,  while  our  eyes  were 
resting  on  the  smooth  surface  of  the  lake,  or  on  the 
variegated  tints  of  the  mountains,  we  arrived  at  Caper- 
naum, where  Christ  sojourned  after  being  expelled  by 
his  townsmen  from  Nazareth  ;  rested  in  the  shade  of  its 
sacred  hills,  and  drank  from  its  fountain  near  Khan- 
Minyeh. 

Hospitality  is  a  sacred  word  in  the  East.  The 
weary,  foot-sore  wanderer,  dragging  his  exhausted  limbs 
through  the  scorched  sands,  descries  in  advance  the 
black  tents  of  a  wandering  tribe. 

Turn  not  aside  ;  advance  boldly ;  there  is  no  danger 
if  you  come  as  a  friend,  asking  hospitality ;  you  are 


280  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

clothed  in  a  mantle  of  mail,  and  each  wild  son  of 
Ismail  would  sooner  lose  his  life  than  that  you  should 
suffer  the  slightest  injury. 

You  shall  share  his  black  crust,  partake  his  scanty 
supply  of  camel's  milk,  occupy  as  your  couch  the  best 
nook  of  his  tent,  and  be  sent  forth  on  the  morrow  with 
refreshed  frame  and  renovated  blood. 

But  be  on  guard  through  the  day,  for  the  chances 
are  more  than  even,  if  you  have  anything  worth  losing, 
that  he  will  rob  you  before  another  sunset. 

We  stopped  to-day  and  spread  our  carpet  for  lunch 
on  the  shady  side  of  the  wall  of  an  old  khan.  Our 
horses  were  browsing  near,  our  mooks  stretched  on  the 
ground  or  smoking,  when  a  miserable  and  filthy-looking 
old  fellow  came  by,  and,  sans  ceremonie,  seized  our 
leathern  water-bottle,  glued  his  mouth  to  the  nozzle, 
and  commenced  to  drink.  This  was  too  much  for  our 
equanimity,  and  we  could  hardly  admit  that  we  were 
very  sorry  when  our  dragoman  grasped  the  bottle  with 
one  hand,  and  with  the  other  sent  our  unbidden  guest 
spinning  several  yards  off.  He  was,  without  doubt,  con- 
siderably astonished,  and  slunk  away,  muttering  curses 
deep  if  not  loud  on  the  inhospitable  Christians.  Joseph 
was  reproved  "mildly." 

Friday,  May  2. 

This  morning  we  started  at  the  same  time  as  the 
Amory  party,  which  had  been  encamped  near  us,  and 
stopped  for  lunch  at  the  ruins  of  Kedes,  the  antique 
Kedesh-Naphthali,  conquered  by  Joshua  from  the  an- 
cient kings  of  Canaan.     (Josh.  xii.  22 ;  xix.  37.) 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  281 

The  hill  and  the  plain  are  strewn  with  fragments 
of  columns,  an  edifice  in  ruins,  and  several  remarkable 
sarcophagi,  in  ancient  times  enriched  with  sculptures, 
to-day  unrecognizable. 

Historians  differ  as  to  the  ruin.  Robinson  concluded 
it  must  have  been  a  synagogue,  while  others  think  it  a 
Roman  construction. 

Strange  that  differences  of  opinion  should  exist  on  a 
subject  so  simple  when  carefully  examined.  Messrs.  Fer- 
ris and  Beadel,  Jr.,  were  much  interested  in  this  build- 
ing, consisting  of  a  groined  or  double  arch,  resting  at 
the  four  corners  on  a  square  platform,  having  an  open- 
ing in  the  centre.  This  opening  was  filled  with  huge 
blocks  which  had  fallen  from  the  roof;  but  by  crawling 
down  among  them,  forcing  aside  bushes  and  brambles 
that  choked  the  way,  they  discovered  four  niches  on 
each  side,  sixteen  in  all,  about  seven  feet  deep,  two 
feet  high,  and  as  many  wide,  intended,  without  doubt, 
for  the  reception  of  human  bodies.  This  then  was  not 
a  Roman  edifice,  as  they  burned  their  dead ;  neither 
was  it  a  synagogue,  but  simply  an  immense  Jewish 
tomb.  We  slept  at  Meis-el  Djebel,  a  large  village 
inhabited  by  hospitable  Arabs. 

Saturday,  May  3. 

From  Meis  to  Banias,  visiting  during  the  morning 
the  old  citadel  of  Hounin,  which  dates  from  the  time  of 
the  Phoenicians ;  and  stopping  for  our  lunch  on  the  shore 
of  the  upper  Jordan,  in  a  shady  spot  with  forests  of  pink 
laurel,  near  the  antique  Dan,  we  arrived  about  four 
o'clock  at  Banias,  the  ancient  Ceesarca  Paneas,  or  Ccesa- 


282  THE   NILOMETER  AND   THE   SACRED   SOIL. 

rea  of  Philip.  We  found  our  tents  pitched  in  a  grove 
opposite  the  ruins  of  the  old  citadel,  the  castle  of  Sobai- 
beh  perched  on  the  edge  of  a  precipice  three  hundred 
yards  above  the  valley,  the  torrent  Wadi-Zalareh  run- 
ning at  our  feet ;  the  country  around  us  covered  with 
bouquets  of  trees,  green  fields,  and  flowers,  while  the 
grand  Hermon  reared  his  white  crest  in  the  distant 
background ;  and  had  it  not  been  that  Messrs.  Beadel 
and  Rogers  were  waiting  for  us  at  Damascus,  we  would 
have  passed  a  few  days  in  Banias,  the  most  picturesque 
place  we  had  seen  in  Syria. 

Crossing  a  bridge  thrown  over  Wadi-Zalareh,  we 
visited  the  great  fountain,  one  of  the  principal  sources 
of  the  Jordan. 

It  comes  forth  at  the  foot  of  a  high  wall  of  calca- 
reous rocks,  where  are  to  be  seen  several  rooms  with 
sculptures  defaced  by  time,  and  a  large  natural  cave, 
whose  entrance  is  obstructed  by  immense  fallen  rocks 
and  remains  of  antique  construction.  It  is  believed  to 
be  the  grotto  consecrated  to  Pan,  near  which  Herod  the 
Great  had  a  beautiful  temple  erected  in  honor  of  Caesar 
Augustus. 

Banias  was  visited  by  Jesus  Christ  and  His  apostles, 
and  it  was  here  He  said  to  His  disciple :  "  And  I  say 
also  unto  thee,  That  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church  :  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it."     (Matth.  xvi.  18.) 

Sunday,  May  4. 

We  left  Banias  by  its  ancient  bridge,  went  up  the 
Wadi-Zalareh,  passed  near  the  mountain  which  bears  the 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACEED    SOIL.  283 

castle  of  Banias,  or  Es-Sobaibeh,  and  then — Joseph  lost 
his  way.  Instead  of  the  easy  road  we  had  expected, 
and  the  view  of  Lake  Phiale  which  we  were  anticipating, 
he  had  led  us  by  frightful  and  precipitous  ways,  occa- 
sionally passing  a  miserable  hamlet,  whose  inhabitants 
might  be  seen  making  desperate  efforts  at  husbandry. 
Tom  insisted  that  they  were  attempting  to  cultivate 
fields  of  stones,  only  interfered  with  by  occasional  patches 
of  earth — the  thin,  meagre  covering  of  wheat,  broken  by 
black  boulders,  looking  like  a  mendicant's  mantle  cov- 
ered with  unsightly  and  badly  patched  rents.  A  few 
specimens  of  dwarfed  cows  told  whence  came  no  small 
supply  of  consumption,  without  whose  milk  and  cheese 
life  would  go  badly  with  these  mountaineers. 

Following  almost  all  the  way  the  chain  of  Hermon, 
mounting  nearly  to  its  summit,  the  wind  blowing  vio- 
lently, and  the  cold  from  the  neighboring  snow  causing 
us  intense  suffering,  the  only  pleasant  remembrance  I 
have  of  this  day's  ride  were  beautiful  wild  tulips  that 
Tom  gathered  on  the  heights  for  our  albums. 

We  slept  that  night  at  Kefr-Haour,  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Hermon,  a  large  village,  half  Druse  half  Mussulman, 
near  which  tradition  places  the  tomb  of  Ninirod. 

Monday,  May  5. 
A  ride  of  four  hours  this  morning  brought  us  in  sight 
of  Damascus,  whose  appearance  from  afar  is  perfectly 
enchanting,  and  well  deserves  its  name  of  "Ancient 
Paradise."  From  whatever  side  you  may  approach  it, 
the  same  surroundings  of  beautiful  plantations  of  olive, 
walnut,  and  fig  trees  are  to  be  seen,  while  its  meadows 


284:  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED    SODL. 

and  gardens  are  watered  by  the  many  streams  coming 
from  the  two  celebrated  rivers,  the  Abana  and  the  Phar- 
par. 

Kaaman  was  a  mighty  man  in  Damascus,  and  cap- 
tain of  the  king's  host ;  few  warriors  were  his  equal, 
and  by  him  the  Lord  had  given  deliverance  unto  Syria. 

In  the  wars  that  had  lately  raged  between  the  Sy- 
rians and  Israel  a  prisoner  had  been  taken  and  brought 
here — a  wee  little  maid,  scarce  worthy  of  notice,  and 
who  was  a  servant  in  the  house  of  !Naaman,  the  pos- 
sessor of  wealth  and  power,  but  who  was  a  leper. 

"  Mistress,"  said  the  child,  "  would  God  my  lord  were 
with  the  prophet  that  is  in  Samaria,  for  he  would  re- 
cover him  of  his  leprosy  !  " 

As  the  drowning  man  catches  at  a  straw,  so  did  Naa- 
man  listen  to  the  words  of  the  girl,  and  with  talents  of 
silver,  pieces  of  gold,  changes  of  raiment,  with  horses 
and  with  chariot,  repaired  to  the  house  of  Elisha  and 
stood  before  the  door. 

Then  sent  Elisha  word  by  messenger :  "  Go  and  wash 
in  Jordan  seven  times,  and  thy  flesh  shall  again  come  to 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  clean." 

But  the  proud  man  was  wroth,  and  answered :  "  Are 
not  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,  better 
than  all  the  waters  of  Israel  ? " 

But  by  the  intercession  of  his  servants  he  went  and 
bathed  as  directed,  and  "  his  flesh  came  again  like  unto 
the  flesh  of  a  little  child,  and  he  was  clean." 

Certainly  few  cities  in  the  world  present  a  more  fairy- 
like aspect  than  Damascus,  with  its  cupolas  and  innu- 
merable minarets ;  its  large  white  mosque,  overtopping 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  285 

the  confused  mass  of  its  houses ;  its  terraces  and  its  gar- 
dens. The  green  girdle  which  surrounds  it  contrasts 
marvellously  with  the  reddish  tints  of  the  desert  all 
around,  while  the  chain  of  Anti-Lebanon  and  great 
Hermon  are  constantly  in  view.  But  as  soon  as  one  en- 
ters the  gates  commences  the  disillusion ;  for,  though 
so  ancient  in  the  world's  history  (Josephus  dates  its 
foundation  from  a  son  of  Shem),  it  is  but  an  ordinary 
Oriental  city,  far  inferior  to  Cairo.  The  streets  are 
narrow,  badly  paved,  irregular,  disappointing  the  more 
from  contrast  with  the  gardens  which  surround  it. 

"We  dismounted  at  the  Dimitri  Hotel,  where  we  ob- 
tained rooms  with  difficulty,  as  it  was  crowded  with  the 
various  parties  we  had  constantly  met  during  our  entire 
trip ;  and  at  dinner  it  was  amusing  to  see  so  many  fa- 
miliar faces.  Here  was  Captain  Hoare  and  Mr.  Stan- 
dish  ;  at  the  head  of  the  table  sat  Lady  Ely  and  her  son; 
near  me  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wight,  who  had  witnessed 
the  passage  of  our  dahabeeh  through  the  first  cataract 
on  the  USTile ;  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  table  was  the 
party  of  French  gentlemen  who  had  helped  to  make 
the  rainy  time  pass  pleasantly  at  Djenin ;  the  Johnson 
family  had  also  arrived  a  few  days  previous ;  and  lastly, 
Messrs.  Rogers  and  Beadel,  Sr.,  of  our  own  encampment. 
They  reported  Charles  as  better,  but  he  had  remained 
in  Beyrout.  He,  however,  unexpectedly  put  in  an 
appearance  the  following  day. 

Feeling  fatigued  by  so  much  time  passed  in  the  tent 
and  on  the  saddle,  I  was  far  from  being  as  enthusiastic 
as  I  had  felt  when  first  beholding  Cairo. 


286  THE   NILOMETEK   AED   THE    SACRED   SOIL. 

Tuesday,  May  6. 

Damascus  is  the  capital  of  Syria,  and  the  most  im- 
portant city  of  Turkey  in  Asia.  It  has  considerable 
commerce  with  the  Arabs  of  the  desert,  and  serves  as  an 
entrepot  for  all  the  products  of  Persia  and  India,  which 
arrive  by  the  caravans  from  Bagdad.  Its  population  is 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  composed  of 
Mussulmans,  Druses,  Greeks,  Syrians,  Armenians,  Ma- 
ronites,  Latins,  and  Jews ;  few  Europeans  are  seen 
within  its  walls ;  in  fact,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century  one  could  not  go  to  Damascus  clothed 
as  an  European  ;  and  until  the  Egyptian  occupation  by 
Mohammed  Ali,  strangers  had  to  submit  to  humiliating 
formalities. 

Before  passing  its  gates  it  was  necessary  to  dismount, 
and  to  deposit  all  arms.  Now  you  can  go  about  in  se- 
curity, without  fear  of  insult,  although  it  is  well  to  be 
prudent,  and  remember  that  the  people  are  far  more 
fanatical  than  at  Cairo  or  Constantinople.  Damascus 
was  the  head-quarters  of  the  conspiracy  formed  a  few 
years  since  among  the  Mussulmans,  having  for  its  object 
the  extermination  of  the  Maronites  and  other  Christians 
throughout  Syria. 

A  second  St.  Bartholomew  was  the  result  of  this  ter- 
rible fanaticism.  Through  all  the  towns  of  Northern 
Syria,  on  an  appointed  night,  began  the  massacre.  The 
neighbor  who  had  been  born  and  lived  in  the  same  place 
with  his  unconscious  victim  from  infancy  to  manhood, 
suddenly  appeared  as  his  executioner,  and  struck  down, 
without  remorse  or  pity,  men,  women,  and  children. 
This  horrible  carnage  continued  for  some  days,  until 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED    SODL.  287 

the  astonished  authorities  could  collect  their  forces ;  and 
to  the  honor  of  the  government  be  it  said,  used  every 
means  to  suppress  the  strife. 

The  number  killed  will  never  be  known.  Those  who 
could  escape  fled  to  the  forests  and  the  mountains ;  but 
so  far  from  the  affair  accomplishing  the  desired  object 
of  its  projectors,  it  would  seem  that  in  Damascus  alone, 
where  it  is  estimated  five  thousand  lost  their  lives,  there 
are  to-day  more  of  the  hated  faith  than  there  were 
before. 

The  "crooked  street  called  Straight"  mentioned  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  (ix.  11),  was  in  the  time  of  Christ 
ornamented  with  colonnades ;  and  parts  of  Corinthian 
columns,  still  in  place,  are  often  discovered  in  digging 
foundations.  It  was  about  a  mile  long,  and  nearly  1^wo 
hundred  feet  wide. 

O  tempora,  O  mores  !  It  is  now  a  tortuous  and  nar- 
row passage,  perhaps  fifteen  feet  wide,  with-  dirty  ba- 
zars on  either  side,  covered  over,  the  greater  part  of 
the  way,  with  matting  and  boards,  to  keep  out  the 
heat  of  the  noon-day  sun. 

Apart  from  its  peculiarly  oriental  character  there  is 
little  or  nothing  to  be  seen  in  Damascus  at  the  present 
day.  Hemmed  in,  as  it  were,  by  wooden  houses  are  the 
remains  of  a  triumphal  arch,  by  whom  or  when  built  is 
unknown,  of  which  a  considerable  portion  still  re- 
mains ;  but  it  is  only  by  ascending  to  the  roof  of  one  of 
these  edifices  that  you  can  observe  it. 

The  Grand  Mosque  occupies  the  site  of  an  ancient 
temple,  as  is  evinced  by  the  remains  of  a  magnificent 
colonnade  partially  surrounding  the  court.     Entrance 


2S8  THE   NILOMETEK  AIsT)   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

is  entirely  prohibited  to  strangers,  but  you  are  permit- 
ted to  tarry  at  the  portal,  whence  you  can  view  the 
interior. 

One  of  the  curiosities  of  the  modern  city  is  a  huge 
plane-tree,  whose  trunk  measures  seventy-three  feet  in 
circumference.  It  is  hale  and  thrifty,  and  seems  des- 
tined yet  to  survive  a  thousand  years. 

Thursday,  May  8. 

"We  left  Damascus  for  Balbek  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  in  a  good  carriage,  with  strong  and  vigorous 
horses,  and  arrived  at  Stoura,  at  the  foot  of  Anti- 
Lebanon,  at  noon,  where  Messrs.  Rogers  and  Beadel, 
having  preceded  us  a  day,  had  ordered  dinner  and  good 
horses  for  us.  After  having  refreshed  ourselves,  our 
guide  (the  proprietor  of  the  house  where  we  had  found 
such  good  cheer)  desired  us  to  mount,  as  the  ride  from 
Stoura  to  Balbek  was  from  six  to  seven  hours'  duration. 
Having  passed  Zahles,  a  large  village  with  well-culti- 
vated surroundings,  we  arrived  at  Nebi-Nouhh,  where 
the  guide  made  us  visit  the  "  Tornb  of  JVoah,"  a  square 
edifice,  measuring  sixty-three  feet  on  each  side. 

We  entered  the  large  plain  of  Beka'a,  and  travelled 
thereon  for  several  hours,  passing,  at  intervals,  small 
villages,  while  on  our  right  was  the  chain  of  Anti- 
Lebanon,  and  on  our  left  that  of  Lebanon.  We  travel- 
led but  slowly,  for  only  we  ladies  had  English  saddles 
(the  gentlemen  being  compelled  to  use  Arab  ones),  so 
that  Charles,  but  more  especially  Henry  Beadel,  would 
fall  behind,  and  we  had  to  stop  from  time  to  time  to 
wait  for  the  laggards. 


THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  289 

The  road  generally  was  good,  though  sometimes  it 
was  difficult  for  the  horses  to  pass  marshy  ground, 
caused  by  the  melting  of  the  snows  of  Lebanon ;  but 
inasmuch  as  the  fatigue  did  not  overcome  me,  I 
thoroughly  appreciated  the  beauties  of  the  route. 

The  thousand  hues  of  the  two  sublime  mountain 
chains  on  my  right  and  left,  imperceptibly  changing 
with  the  declining  sun,  caused  a  regret  that  I  had  not 
with  me  a  copy  of  "  Lamartine's  Travels  in  the  East ;" 
for  I  had  always  retained  a  vivid  remembrance  of  his 
description  of  the  two  ranges,  and  of  the  ruins  of  Bal- 
bek ;  and  when  the  fire-king  retreated  behind  Lebanon 
I  gave  full  scope  to  my  enthusiasm.  No  scenery  in 
the  Alps  had  ever  impressed  me  thus :  the  broad,  deep- 
green  plain  extended  to  the  north  and  south  beyond  the 
line  of  vision,  bounded  on  the  east  by  Anti-Lebanon, 
still  lighted  by  the  reflection  of  departing  day,  the  dark 
base  of  whose  empurpled  sides  formed  a  pleasing  and 
delicate  contrast  with  the  shade  of  its  summit ;  and 
Lebanon  on  the  west,  black  and  gloomy  in  its  majesty, 
sharply  defined  against  the  evening  sky. 

Over  Anti-Lebanon  the  first  star  appeared,  and  night 
came  on  apace ;  Charles  had  rejoined  us,  but  Henry 
was  far  back  with  Mr.  Andrews,  our  host,  and  we  had 
only  a  serving-man  as  guide;  but  as  his  horse  carried 
the  provision  and  crockery- ware  for  our  usage,  he  could 
only  go  on  a  walk. 

Anon  the  full  moon  "  came  peeping  o'er  the  hills" 

reversing  the  twilight  shade  left  by  the  setting  sun ; 

bringing  new  beauties  from  out  the  sides  of  Lebanon  ; 

shimmering  on  the  fretful  stream ;  tinging  with  silvery 

13 


290  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

touch  the  facing  shrubs  ;  imparting  her  borrowed  light 
to  the  wide  plain  walled  in  by  black  Anti-Lebanon. 

But  ah  !  how  intimately  connected  are  the  spiritual 
and  bodily  sensations.  Our  seventeen  hours'  travelling 
had  so  "  used  up  "  us  ladies,  long  before  we  arrived  at 
our  destination,  that  all  the  beauty  of  the  moonlight 
playing  on  the  ruins  as  we  passed  them  failed  to  revive 
us  ;  and  we  dismounted  before  the  house  where  we  were 
to  pass  the  night  at  ten  p.m.,  with  hardly  the  necessary 
strength  left  to  undress  and  go  to  bed  without  dinner. 

When  Henry  arrived  the  gentlemen  enjoyed  their 
meal,  and  afterwards  roamed  through  the  ruins  until 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

BALBEK. 

Friday,  May  9,  1868. 

!  HE  beauties  of  the  gigantic  ruins  of  Balbek 
have  been  sung  and  described  in  every  lan- 
guage; a  poet  or  artist  could  pass  months 
here,  and  at  almost  every  step  find  some  new 
cause  for  admiration  ;  but  our  hours  were  numbered, 
for  our  passage  was  engaged  for  the  steamer  to  leave 
Beyrout  on  the  following  Sunday,  and  all  we  could 
give  to  Balbek  -was,  four  hours. 

Four  hours !  hardly  enough  time  to  take  a  walk 
among  the  ruins ;  enough  though  to  permit  me  to  recog- 
nize every  stone  in  the  description  Lamartine  gives ; 
and  which  I  here  translate  for  the  benefit  of  my  friends, 
as  a  remembrance  of  his  poetry  and  his  genius  ;  for  since 
our  return  the  cable  has  brought  the  announcement 
of  his  death ! 

"  I  had  crossed  the  summits  of  Sannin,  covered  with 
eternal  snow  (the  highest  peak  of  Lebanon),  and  had 
come  down  from  the  Lebanon,  crowned  with  its  diadem 
of  cedars,  into  the  naked  and  arid  desert  of  Heliopolis 
at  the  end  of  a  fatiguing  day.  At  the  horizon  yet  far 
from  us,  on  the  extreme  distance  of  the  black  mountains 
of  Anti-Lebanon,  an  immense  mass  of  yellow  ruins, 
gilded  by  the  setting  sun,  was  detaching  itself  from  the 
shadows  of  the  mountains.     Our  guides  were  showing 


292  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACEED    SOIL. 

it  to  ns  with  their  fingers,  and  exclaiming  '  Balbek ! 
Balbek  ! '  It  was  indeed  the  marvel  of  the  desert,  the 
fabulous  Balbek,  coming  forth  all  dazzling  from  her  un- 
known sepulchre  to  relate  to  us  of  ages  of  which  history 
has  lost  the  memory. 

"  We  were  advancing  slowly,  restrained  by  the  tardy 
step  of  our  tired  horses,  our  eyes  fixed  on  those  gigantic 
walls,  on  the  beautiful  and  colossal  columns,  which 
seemed,  the  nearer  we  approached  them,  to  spread,  en- 
large, and  elongate.  A  profound  silence  was  kept 
throughout  our  caravan,  for  each  was  afraid  to  lose  a 
single  impression  of  that  hour  by  communicating  what 
he  felt. 

"  At  last  we  arrived  at  the  first  stumps  of  columns,  at 
the  first  blocks  of  marble,  that  earthquakes,  accidents, 
and  Arabs  have  scattered  to  more  than  a  mile  from  the 
monuments  themselves,  like  dried  leaves  tossed  and 
rolled  far  from  the  tree  after  the  tempest. 

"  We  followed  our  route  between  the  desert  on  our  left 
and  the  undulations  of  the  Anti-Lebanon  on  our  right, 
walking  along  some  cultivated  fields,  and  the  bed  of  a 
large  torrent  which  winds  between  the  ruins,  and  on  the 
shore  of  which  are  some  handsome  walnuts. 

';  The  Acropolis,  or  the  artificial  hill  which  supports  all 
the  great  monuments  of  Heliopolis,  appeared  here  and 
there  between  the  boughs,  and  above  the  tops  of  the 
large  trees  ;  at  last  it  was  entirely  disclosed  to  our  sight, 
and  all  of  us,  as  though  touched  by  electricity,  halted. 
No  pen,  no  pencil  could  describe  the  impression  that 
this  single  look  imparted  to  the  eyes — to  the  soul. 
Under  our  feet,  in  the  bed  of  the  torrent,  in  the  midst 


THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  293 

of  the  fields,  around  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  blocks  of 
red  and  gray  granite,  of  red  porphyry,  of  white  marble, 
of  yellow  stone,  bright  as  the  marble  of  Paros ;  shafts 
of  columns,  chiselled  chapiters,  architraves,  volutes, 
cornices,  entablatures,  pedestals,  fallen  statues  with  faces 
to  the  ground,  scattered  parts  wThich  yet  seem  palpi- 
tating,— all  these  a  confused  mass,  grouped  in  heaps, 
disseminated  and  gushing  out  in  all  parts  as  the  lava  of 
a  volcano  which  had  vomited  the  remains  of  a  vast 
empire,  so  that  you  can  scarcely  find  a  path  to  cross  the 
sweepings  of  art  which  cover  all  the  ground.  The  iron- 
shod  hoofs  of  our  horses  slipped  and  crackled  at  every 
step  in  the  smooth  acanthus  of  the  cornices,  or  on  the 
snow-white  bosom  of  a  female  torso  :  only  the  winding 
waters  of  the  river  of  Balbek  find  their  way  among  these 
beds  of  fragments,  and  wash  with  their  murmuring 
foam  these  broken  marbles  which  obstruct  their  course. 
"Above  these  fragments,  forming  dams  of  marble,  is 
the  hill  of  Balbek,  a  platform  a  thousand  paces  long  by 
seven  hundred  feet  wide,  all  built  by  the  hand  of  man 
in  cut  stones,  of  which  some  measure  fifty  to  sixty  feet 
in  length  by  fifteen  to  sixteen  in  height,  while  the 
greater  part  are  from  fifteen  to  thirty  feet  long.  This 
hill  of  cut  granite  appeared  to  us  from  its  eastern 
extremity,  with  its  profound  bases  and  its  incommen- 
surable casings,  where  three  pieces  of  granite  form  one 
hundred  and  eighty  feet  of  development  and  nearly 
three  thousand  feet  of  surface,  with  the  large  openings 
of  its  subterranean  vaults,  where  the  water  of  the  river 
was  engulfed,  while  the  whistling  of  the  wind  mingling 
with  the  murmuring  of  the  waters  produced  sounds 


294  THE   NILOMETEK   AMD   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

similar  to  the  far-off  volley  of  the  great  hells  of  our 
cathedrals. 

"  On  that  immense  platform  the  extremities  of  the 
great  temples  were  presented  to  our  view,  cut  out  of  the 
blue,  pink,  and  golden  colors  of  the  horizon.  Some  of 
these  deserted  monuments  seemed  intact,  and  looked  as 
if  just  finished  by  the  hand  of  the  workman ;  others 
presented  partial  remains  still  standing, — isolated  col- 
umns, bits  of  leaning  walls,  and  dismantled  fronts.  The 
eye  lost  itself  in  the  shining  avenues  of  colonnades  of 
these  various  temples,  and  the  too  high  horizon  pre- 
vented us  seeing  where  that  world  of  stone  ended. 

"  The  six  gigantic  columns  of  the  great  temple,  carry- 
ing still  majestically  their  rich  and  colossal  entabla- 
tures, dominated  all  that  scene,  and  lost  themselves  in 
tbe  blue  sky  as  an  aerial  altar  for  the  sacrifice  of  giants. 

"  The  day  after  we  arose  with  the  sun,  whose  first  rays 
striking  on  the  temples  of  Balbek  gave  to  these  myste- 
rious ruins  the  brightness  of  eternal  youth. 

"After  a  hasty  breakfast,  we  went  to  examine  what 
we  had  as  yet  but  cursorily  observed.  We  slowly  ap- 
proached the  artificial  hill,  so  as  to  be  able  to  observe 
well  the  different  masses  of  architecture  which  compose 
it,  and  soon  arrived  by  the  northern  part  under  the 
shades  of  the  gigantic  walls  which  enclose  the  ruins. 
We  passed  the  torrent  of  Balbek  by  the  bridges  that 
time  has  thrown  there,  and  went  up  by  a  narrow  and 
steep  breach  to  the  terrace  overtopping  the  walls. 
Every  stone  that  our  hands  touched,  that  our  looks 
measured,  called  forth  our  admiration,  and  we  could 
not  refrain  from  exclamations  of  surprise  and  wonder. 


THE    NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  295 

Each  of  the  stones  of  that  enclosure  wall  was  from 
eight  to  ten  feet  in  length  by  five  to  six  in  width,  and 
as  much  in  height.  These  enormous  blocks  rest  with- 
out cement  one  on  the  other,  and  almost  ail  have  the 
remains  of  sculpture  of  an  Indian  or  Egyptian  epoch. 

"  You  can  at  a  glance  perceive  that  these  huge  ashlars 
have  been  used  primarily  for  an  entirely  different  pur- 
pose than  that  of  forming  a  wall  of  terraces  and  en- 
closures, and  that  they  were  the  precious  material  of 
primitive  monuments  which  later  have  been  taken  to 
enclose  the  Grecian  and  Homan  temples. 

"  It  was  an  habitual,  and,  I  believe,  even  a  religious 
custom  of  the  Ancients,  when  a  sacred  edifice  was 
thrown  down  by  war  or  time,  or  when  more  advanced 
arts  required  its  renewal  to  perfect  it,  to  use  the  same 
materials  for  the  accessory  construction  of  the  restored 
monuments,  so  that  the  stones  which  the  shadows  of 
the  gods  had  touched  would  not  be  profaned  by  com- 
mon usage ;  and  also,  out  of  respect  for  their  ancestry, 
that  the  human  work  of  different  epochs  should  not  be 
buried  and  lost,  but  bear  witness  to  the  piety  of  man 
and  the  successive  progress  of  the  arts. 

"Arrived  on  the  summit  of  the  breach,  our  eyes  scarce 
knew  Avhere  to  rest.  There  were  everywhere  marble 
doors  of  a  prodigious  height  and  width,  windows  or 
niches  bordered  with  the  most  admirable  sculptures, 
arches  covered  with  the  most  exquisite  ornaments,  pieces 
of  cornices,  of  entablatures,  of  chapiters,  as  thick  as 
the  dust  under  our  feet ;  all  mystery,  confusion,  disor- 
der ;  masterpieces  of  art,  remains  of  the  inexplicable 
marvels  around  us.     No  sooner  did  we  look  with  admi- 


296  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

ration  on  one  side,  than  a  new  wonder  would  attract  us 
on  the  other.  Each  interpretation  of  the  form  or  of 
the  religious  sense  of  the  monuments  was  destroyed  by 
a  succeeding  one;  and  in  that  labyrinth  of  conjectures 
we  were  entirely  lost. 

"  You  cannot  reconstruct  in  thought  the  sacred  edi- 
fices of  a  time,  or  of  a  people,  of  which  you  do  not  know 
either  the  religion  or  the  manners.  Time  carries  its 
secrets  with  it,  and  leaves  its  enigmas  to  baffle  and  de- 
ceive the  human  mind.  We  quickly  renounced  the  at- 
tempt to  build  any  system  on  the  ensemble  of  these 
ruins,  and  contented  ourselves  with  looking  and  ad- 
miring, without  understanding  anything  but  the  ability 
and  genius  of  man,  and  the  strength  of  the  religious 
idea  which  had  been  the  incentive  to  move  such  masses 
and  accomplish  so  many  chefs-d'oeuvre. 

"  We  were  still  separated  from  the  second  scene  of  the 
ruins  by  interior  constructions  which  debarred  us  the 
view  of  the  temple.  We  were,  according  to  all  appear- 
ances, but  in  the  dwelling  of  the  priests,  or  on  the  ground 
of  some  private  chapels  consecrated  to  unknown  usages. 

"  We  leaped  over  these  monumental  constructions,  far 
richer  than  the  enclosure  walls,  and  the  second  scene 
of  the  ruin  was  beneath  our  eyes.  Much  larger,  much 
longer,  and  much  more  decorated  than  that  we  had  just 
left,  it  offered  to  our  view  an  immense  oblong  platform, 
whose  level  was  often  broken  by  remains  of  more  ele- 
vated pavements,  and  which  seemed  to  have  belonged 
to  temples  entirely  destroyed,  or  perhaps  without  roofs, 
so  that  the  sun,  which  was  adored  in  Balbek,  could  shine 
upon  its  altar. 


THE   NILOMETEB   AND   THE   SACRED    SOIL.  297 

"  All  around  that  platform  were  a  series  of  chapels 
decorated  with  admirably  sculptured  niches,  friezes, 
cornices,  and  compartments,  of  most  elaborate  work,  but 
the  work  of  an  epoch  already  corrupt.  You  feel  there 
the  imprint  of  a  taste  surcharged  with  ornaments  of  the 
Greeks  and  Romans.  But  to  feel  that  impression,  you 
must  already  have  the  eye  inured  to  the  contemplation 
of  the  pure  monuments  of  Athens ;  any  other  eye  would 
be  fascinated  by  the  splendor  of  the  form,  and  the  finish 
of  the  ornaments.  The  only  fault  is  too  much  richness ; 
the  stone  is  crushed  down  by  its  own  luxury,  and  the 
laces  of  marbles  run  in  all  directions  on  the  walls. 

"  There  are  yet  eight  or  ten  of  the  chapels  entire, 
which  seem  to  have  been  always  as  they  are  now,  open 
on  the  oblong  square  which  they  surround,  and  where 
the  mysteries  of  Baal  were  probably  accomplished  in 
full  daylight. 

"I  will  not  try  to  describe  the  thousand  objects  of  sur- 
prise and  admiration  which  each  one  of  these  temples 
offers  to  the  eye  of  the  spectator.  I  am  neither  a 
sculptor  nor  an  architect ;  I  do  not  even  know  the  name 
that  the  stone  should  bear  in  such  or  such  a  place,  in 
such  or  such  a  form ;  I  would  speak  badly  in  an  un- 
known tongue ;  but  that  universal  language  which  the 
beautiful  speaks  to  the  eye  even  of  the  ignorant,  which 
the  mysterious  and  the  antique  speak  to  the  soul  of  the 
philosopher,  I  do  understand,  and  never  as  strongly  as  in 
that  chaos  of  marbles,  of  forms,  of  mysteries  which  en- 
cumber that  marvellous  yard. 

'"In  combining  by  thought  the  remains  of  the  temples 
of  Jupiter  Stator  at  Home,  of  the  Coliseum,  of  the  Par- 
13* 


298  THE   NILOMETER   AND  THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

thenon,  one  could  represent  to  one's  self  this  architectural 
scene,  the  prodigious  agglomeration  of  so  many  monu- 
ments, of  so  much  richness  and  so  much  work,  in  only- 
one  enclosure  and  under  a  single  glance,  in  the  midst  of 
a  desert  and  on  the  ruins  of  a  city  almost  unknown. 

"  It  was  witli  much  regret  that  we  tore  ourselves  from 
that  scene  and  walked  towards  the  south,  where  the 
first  of  the  six  gigantic  columns  rose  as  a  pharos  above 
that  horizon  of  ruins. 

"  To  get  to  it  we  were  obliged  to  cross  again  the  exterior 
enclosure  walls,  some  high  porches,  pedestals,  and  foun- 
dations of  altars,  which  everywhere  obstructed  the  space 
between  us  and  it.  At  last  we  arrived  at  its  base.  Si- 
lent is  the  language  of  man  when  what  he  feels  sur- 
passes the  ordinary  measure  of  his  impressions.  We 
remained  mute,  contemplating  these  six  columns,  and 
measuring  with  the  eye  their  diameter,  their  elevation, 
and  the  admirable  sculpture  of  their  architraves  and 
cornices  ;  they  are  seven  feet  in  diameter  and  more  than 
seventy  feet  in  height,  and  are  composed  some  of  two 
and  some  of  three  blocks,  but  so  perfectly  joined  together 
that  you  can  hardly  discover  the  line  of  junction  ;  the 
sun's  rays  were  then  striking  on  their  side,  and  we  sat 
for  a  moment  under  their  shade ;  large  birds,  similar  to 
eagles,  frightened  at  the  sound  of  our  steps,  flew  away 
from  above  the  chapiters,  where  they  have  their  nests, 
and  soon  returning,  a'lighted  on  the  acanthus  of  the  cor- 
nices, striking  them  with  their  beaks,  and  moving  their 
wings  as  if  they  were  animated  ornaments  of  the  mar- 
vellous rnins. 

"  These  columns,  that  some  travellers  have  taken  for 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    BOIL.  299 

the  remains  of  an  avenue,  one  hundred  and  four  feet  long 
and  fifty-six  feet  wide,  leading  formerly  to  a  temple,  ap- 
pear to  me  to  have  been  the  exterior  decoration  of  this 
edifice. 

"  In  carefully  examining  the  smaller  temple,  which 
stands  nearly  entire  near  by,  you  will  see  that  it  was 
constructed  from  the  same  design ;  and  I  consider  it 
probable  that,  after  the  ruin  of  the  first  temple  by  an 
earthquake,  the  second  was  constructed  on  the  same 
plan,  and  for  its  erection  some  of  the  material  of  the 
first  was  employed ;  only  that  the  proportions,  too  gi- 
gantic for  a  degenerating  epoch,  were  diminished ;  that 
the  columns  broken  in  their  fall  were  used,  but  these 
that  had  been  spared  were  left  as  a  sacred  remembrance 
of  the  ancient  pile ;  if  it  were  otherwise,  other  ruins 
of  great  columns  would  still  subsist  near  the  six  now 
standing.  Everything  indicates,  on  the  contrary,  that 
the  vacant  space  which  surrounds  them  was  cleared  of 
remains  from  time  the  most  remote,  and  that  the  rich 
facade  was  still  used  for  ceremonies  of  religion. 

"  "We  had  opposite,  on  the  south  side,  another  temple 
placed  on  the  bank  of  the  platform,  at  about  forty  paces 
from  us.  It  is  the  most  entire  and  most  beautiful  monu- 
ment of  Balbek,  and,  I  might  almost  dare  to  say,  of  all 
the  world.  If  you  would  re-erect  one  of  the  columns 
of  the  peristyle  rolled  on  the  side  of  the  platform,  and 
another,  the  head  of  which  is  still  leaning  on  the  intact 
walls  of  the  temple — if  you  were  to  remove  to  their 
right  places  some  of  the  enormous  ornamental  com- 
partments which  have  fallen  from  the  roof  into  the 
porch — if  you  were  to  raise  again  one  or  two  sculptured 


300  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACEED   SOIL. 

blocks  of  the  inner  door,  and  readjust  the  altar  with 
the  debris  which  is  scattered  on  the  enclosure,  so  that  it 
would  take  back  its  form  and  place, — call  back  the  gods, 
bring  back  the  priests  and  the  people, — they  would  re- 
cognize their  temple  as  complete,  as  intact,  the  polish 
of  the  stones  as  brilliant  in  the  dazzling  light,  as  the 
day  that  the  architect  delivered  it  for  its  intended  use. 

"  The  proportions  of  this  temple  are  inferior  to  the  one 
of  which  the  six  colossal  columns  formed  a  part.  It  is 
surrounded  by  a  portico,  supported  by  columns  of  the 
Corinthian  order ;  each  of  these  columns  is  about  five 
feet  in  diameter  by  forty-five  in  height,  and  are  each 
composed  of  three  blocks ;  they  are  nine  feet  from  each 
other,  and  at  the  same  distance  from  the  inner  wall. 
On  the  chapiters  of  the  columns  is  extended  a  rich  ar- 
chitrave and  an  admirably  sculptured  cornice.  The 
roof  of  the  peristyle  is  formed  of  large  blocks  of  con- 
cave stones,  cut  with  the  chisel  in  compartments,  and 
which  variously  represent  either  the  face  of  a  god,  a 
deity,  or  a  hero.  On  one  side  we  recognized  a  Gany- 
mede carried  away  b}'  Jupiter  in  the  form  of  an  eagle. 
Some  of  these  blocks  have  fallen  to  the  ground  in -the 
midst  of  the  columns.  We  measured  them,  and  found 
them  to  be  sixteen  feet  square,  with  a  thickness  of  about 
five  feet.     Such  are  the  tiles  of  this  monument. 

"  The  inner  door  of  the  temple,  formed  also  of  enor- 
mous blocks,  has  a  width  of  twenty-two  feet.  We 
could  not  measure  its  height,  as  other  blocks  have  fallen 
in  that  place  and  filled  it  half  up.  The  appearance  of 
the  sculptured  stones  which  composed  the  facade  of 
that  door,  and  its  disproportion  with  the  remainder  of 


THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  301 

the  edifice,  make  me  suppose  that  it  is  the  door  of  the 
great  fallen  temple  which  has  been  inserted  here.  The 
mysterious  sculptures  which  decorate  it  are,  to  my  mind, 
of  an  entirely  different  period  from  the  Antonine  epoch, 
and  of  a  work  infinitely  less  pure.  An  eagle,  holding  a 
caduceus  in  its  claws,  spreads  its  wings  on  the  opening, 
and  from  his  beak  run  festoons  of  ribbon  or  chains,  which 
are  supported  at  their  extremity  by  two  cherubs. 

"  The  interior  of  the  building  is  decorated  with  pillars 
and  niches  of  the  richest,  but  surcharged  sculpture;  and 
we  gathered  some  of  the  fragments  which  lay  scattered 
on  the  floor.  There  are  some  niches  perfectly  intact, 
and  which  seem  to  have  just  left  the  workshop  of  the 
sculptor. 

"  JSTot  far  from  the  entry  of  the  temple  we  found  im- 
mense openings  and  subterranean  staircases,  which  led 
to  inferior  constructions  whose  usage  you  can  designate; 
everything  is  equally  large  and  beautiful ;  these  were, 
without  doubt,  the  dwelling  of  the  pontiff,  the  college 
of  the  priests,  the  halls  of  the  initiations,  perhaps  also 
royal  dwellings.  They  received  the  daylight  from  the 
top  or  by  the  sides  of  the  platforms  to  which  these 
rooms  lead.  Fearing  to  lose  ourselves  in  the  labyrinths, 
we  only  visited  a  small  part  of  them ;  they  seem  to  ex- 
ist throughout  all  the  extent  of  this  mamelon. 

"  The  temple  that  I  have  just  described  is  placed  at 
the  south-western  extremity  of  the  monumental  hill  of 
Balbek,  and  forms  the  angle  of  the  platform. 

''In  coming  out  of  the  peristyle  we  found  ourselves  on 
the  brink  of  the  precipice,  and  could  measure  the  Cyclo- 
pean stones  which  form  the  pedestal  of  that  group  of 


302  THE   NILOMETER    AJSTD   THE   SACKED    SOIL. 

monuments.  This  pedestal  is  about  thirty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  plain  of  Balbek,  and  is  constructed  of 
stones  whose  dimensions  are  so  prodigious,  that  if  it 
were  not  attested  by  travellers  worthy  of  belief,  the  im- 
agination of  men  of  our  days  would  be  crushed  under 
the  improbability.  The  Arabs  themselves,  every-day 
witnesses  of  these  marvels,  do  not  attribute  them  to  the 
power  of  man,  but  to  that  of  genii,  or  supernatural 
force.  When  one  considers  that  these  blocks  of  cut 
granite  are  sixty  feet  long  by  fifteen  to  sixteen  wide, 
and  an  unknown  thickness,  and  that  these  enormous 
masses  are  elevated  on  each  other  some  thirty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  ground ;  that  they  have  been  taken  from 
far-off  quarries,  brought  there,  and  raised  to  such  an 
elevation,  to  form  the  platform  for  the  temple,  one  re- 
coils before  such  a  proof  of  human  strength  !  Science  in 
our  days  cannot  explain  it,  and  one  is  not  astonished 
that  the  ignorant  should  fall  back  on  the  idea  of  the 
supernatural. 

"  These  wonders  are  evidently  not  of  the  same  date  as 
the  temple ;  they  were  mysteries  to  the  ancients  as  they 
are  to  us ;  they  are  of  an  unknown  epoch,  and  may  be 
antediluvian;  they  have  probably  sustained  many  tem- 
ples, consecrated  to  various  and  successive  religions. 
The  ordinary  observer  will  recognize  five  or  six  genera- 
tions of  monuments,  belonging  to  various  epochs,  on  the 
hill  of  the  ruins  of  Balbek. 

"Some  travellers  and  some  Arab  writers  attribute  these 
primitive  constructions  to  Solomon,  three  thousand 
years  before  the  Christian  era.  He  built,  it  is  said, 
Tadmor  and  Balbek  in  the  desert.     The  history  of  Sol- 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL.  303 

omon  fills  up  the  imagination  of  tlie  Orientals,  but  that 
supposition,  so  far  at  least  as  concerning  the  gigantic 
monuments  of  Heliopolis,  is  not  at  all  likely.  How  a 
king  of  Israel  who  did  not  even  possess  a  seaport  ten 
leagues  from  these  mountains ;  who  was  obliged  to  bor- 
row the  marine  of  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre,  to  bring  him 
the  cedars  of  Lebanon — how  c'ould  he  have  extended  his 
dominion  above  Damascus,  and  even  unto  Balbek  ?  How 
could  a  prince,  who,  wishing  to  elevate  the  Temple  of 
Temples,  the  house  of  the  only  God,  in  his  capital,  and 
who  employed  but  fragile  materials,  which  could  not  re- 
sist time,  nor  leave  any  durable  trace,  have  raised  at  one 
hundred  leagues  from  his  people,  in  unknown  deserts, 
monuments  built  with  imperishable  stone  ?  Would  he 
not  sooner  have  employed  his  strength  and  his  riches  in 
Jerusalem  ?  And  what  remains  in  Jerusalem  which  in- 
dicates similar  monuments  to  those  ■  of  Balbek  %  Noth- 
ing.    It  cannot  then  have  been  the  work  of  Solomon. 

"  I  rather  believe  that  these  enormous  stones  have  been 
moved  either  by  that  first  race  of  men  that  all  primi- 
tive history  calls  giants,  or  by  those  of  the  antediluvian 
period. 

"  We  are  assured  that  not  far  off,  in  a  valley  of  the 
Anti-Lebanon,  there  have  been  discovered  human  bones 
of  an  immense  size ;  and  '  that '  rumor  has  such  con- 
sistency among  the  neighboring  Arabs  that  the  Consul- 
General  of  England  in  Syria,  Mr.  Farren,  a  man  of 
superior  intelligence,  proposes  to  go  without  delay  to 
visit  these  mysterious  sepulchres.  The  Oriental  tradi- 
tion, and  even  the  monument  raised  on  what  is  said  to 
be   the  tomb  of  Noah,  not  far  from  Balbek,  assign  this 


304:  THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

locality  as  a  sojourn  of  that  patriarch.  The  first  men 
of  his  descendants  might  have  preserved  for  some  time 
the  size  and  strength  that  humanity  had  before  the  total 
or  partial  submersion  of  the  globe ;  these  monuments 
may  be  their  work.  Even  supposing  that  the  human 
race  has  never  exceeded  its  present  stature,  the  propor- 
tions of  human  intelligence  may  have  changed.  "Who 
tells  us  that  this  younger  intelligence  had  not  invented 
mechanical  processes  perfect  to  move,  as  an  atom  of 
dust,  these  masses  that  an  army  of  a  thousand  men 
could  not  stir  to-day  %  However  it  may  be,  some  of  the 
stones  of  Balbek  are  the  most  prodigious  masses  that 
ever  man  has  moved  !  The  largest  stones  of  the  pyra- 
mid of  Egypt  do  not  exceed  eighteen  feet,  and  these  are 
but  exceptional  blocks,  placed  for  the  purpose  of  special 
solidity  in  certain  parts  of  that  edifice. 

"  In  turning  the  angle  north  of  the  platform,  the 
walls  which  support  it  are  also  in  fine  preservation,  but 
the  masses  of  the  materials  which  compose  it  are  less 
wonderful,  though  the  stones,  generally  speaking,  are 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  length  by  eight  to  ten  in 
width.  The  walls,  much  more  antique  than  the  supe- 
rior temples,  are  covered  with  a  gray  tint,  and  pierced 
here  and  there  with  holes  at  their  junctions.  These 
openings  are  bordered  with  swallows'  nests,  and  tufts  of 
shrubs  and  pellitory  flowers  hang  therefrom.  The 
dark,  grave  color  of  the  stone  of  the  base  contrasts  with 
the  bright  and  splendid  tint  of  the  walls  of  the  temples, 
and  the  rows  of  columns  on  the  summit. 

"At  sunset,  when  the  rays  play  between  the  pillars, 
and  gush  out  as  waves  of  fire  between  the  volutes  and 


THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL.  305 

the  acanthus  of  the  chapiters,  the  temples  glitter  like 
silver  on  a  pedestal  of  bronze. 

"  We  went  down  by  a  breach  formed  at  the  southern 
angle  of  the  platform,  and  there  some  columns  of  the 
small  temple  have  rolled,  with  the  architraves,  into  the 
torrent  which  runs  along  the  cyclopean  walls.  The 
.  enormous  shafts,  or  pieces  of  columns  grouped  every 
way  in  the  bed  of  the  torrent,  and  on  the  steep  declivity 
of  the  ditch,  will  remain,  without  doubt,  eternally, 
where  time  has  shaken  them.  Some  walnut  and  other 
trees  have  germinated  between  these  blocks,  covering 
them  with  their  branches,  and  embracing  them  with 
their  wide  roots  ;  but  the  most  gigantic  trees  look  like 
reeds  grown  up  yesterday  near  these  trunks,  twenty  feet 
in  circumference,  and  of  these  pieces  of  acanthus,  of 
which  one  only  covers  half  the  bed  of  the  stream. 

"Cottar from  there,  on  the  northern  part,  an  immense 
mouth  in  the  side  of  the  platform  opened  before  us, 
which  we  entered.  The  daylight  which  penetrated 
there  by  the  two  extremities  illuminated  it  sufficiently, 
and  we  followed  it  in  its  length  of  five  hundred  feet, 
running  under  the  entire  extent  of  the  temples,  and 
being  about  thirty  feet  in  height.  The  vault  is  formed 
of  blocks  which  even  surprised  us  by  their  mass,  after 
those  we  had  just  contemplated.  "We  could,  however, 
form  no  idea  of  its  object.  At  the  western  extremity 
this  vault  has  a  branch  more  elevated  and  still  larger, 
which  extends  to  the  platform  of  the  small  temple,  and 
which  we  first  visited.  We  found  there  the  full  light 
of  day,  the  scattered  torrent  running  among  innume- 
rable pieces  of  architecture  rolled  from  the  platforms, 


306  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL. 

while  handsome  walnut-trees  are  growing  in  the  dust 
of  these  marbles.  The  other  ancient  edifices  of  Balbek, 
disseminated  before  us  in  the  plain,  attracted  our  atten- 
tion, but  nothing  could  interest  us  after  what  we  had 
travelled  over." 

Such  were  the  marvellous  ruins  we  were  unfortunate 
enough  to  have  but  four  hours  to  examine.  There  were 
several  encampments  of  voyagers  more  happy  than  our- 
selves ;  one  with  the  American  flag  was  that  of  Church, 
the  artist,  who  was  occupied  taking  sketches. 

"We  left  Balbek  at  one  o'clock,  and  a  gallop  of 
four  hours  brought  us  back  to  Stoura,  a  distance  of 
thirty  miles,  where  we  again  met  the  Johnson  family, 
encamped-near  the  house  of  Mr.  Andrews;  and,  worn 
out  with  the  exertion  and  fatigue  of  the  last  two  days, 
we  were  glad  to  retire. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

BEYEOUT — THE  STEAMEE — EETEOSPECT RHODES  — SMYRNA 

EPHESTJS — CONSTANTINOPLE — ST.    SOPHIA — EOSPHOEUS 

BLACK    SEA — GOLDEN    HOEN    AND     SWEET    WATEES 

ATHENS — THE  ACEOPOLIS — PAETHENON ELEUSIS — MES- 
SINA. 

Saturday,  May  10,  1868. 

E  left  Stoura  at  half-past  nine  in  the  morning, 

in  the  coupe  of  the  diligence,  for  Beyrout. 

A  very  interesting  ride  it  was,  with  varied, 

handsome  scenery,  and  frequent  views  of  the 

Mediterranean. 

Beyrout  is  the  ancient  Berytus,  situated  in  Phoenicia. 
The  city  is  on  an  elevation,  declining  gently  towards  the 
sea :  its  base  is  backed  by  the  Lebanon  Mountain,  and 
some  masses  of  rock,  which  advance  into  the  waves, 
support  the  Turkish  fortification,  while  the  roadstead  is 
closed  by  a  point  of  land  protecting  the  waters  from 
the  westerly  wind,  and  all  the  suburbs  and  surrounding 
hills  bear  a  rich  girdle  of  gay  and  well-built  villas, 
with  large  luxuriantly  planted  gardens.  The  climate 
is  all  that  can  be  desired,  combined  with  a  rich  soil  pro- 
ducing limitless  vegetation.  Silk  mulberry-trees,  of 
which  immense  quantities  are  here  grown  for  the  cul- 
ture of  cocoons,  are  planted  from  stage  to  stage  on 
artificial  terraces ;  fig,  orange,  and  lemon  trees,  and 


308  THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

plantations  of  pines  and  firs,  raised  by  the  emir  Fakhr- 
ed-Din,  give  to  the  city  a  beautiful  appearance,  while 
the  high  mountains  of  the  chain  of  Lebanon  form  the 
background.  There  are  no  monuments,  and,  apart 
from  its  lively  aspect,  it  possesses  nothing  worthy  of 
notice. 

Sunday,  May  11. 

The  hotel  where  we  lodged  was  filled  with  travellers, 
part  of  whom  were  to  take  the  steamer  for  Smyrna  or 
Constantinople ;  and  when  we  left  Beyrout  and  arrived 
on  board,  we  found  it  crowded  not  only  with  first  but 
with  many  second  class  passengers. 

Half  of  the  upper  deck  was  taken  for  the  use  of  the 
Turkish  women  and  their  children,  so  that  it  left  but  a 
narrow  space  for  our  accommodation ;  but  as  the  sea 
was  uncommonly  smooth,  and  the  company  on  board 
exceedingly  agreeable,  we  forgot  all  the  inconveniences 
we  would  so  much  have  felt  in  any  other  case.  We 
again  met  here  a  part  of  the  French  party  we  had 
first  seen  at  Djenin ;  also  the  Count  and  Countess 
Rapp. 

Several  of  these  young  men,  Mr.  Leon  Bonn  at,  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  of  our  French  painters,  Mr. 
Ernest  Journault,  also  a  painter,  Mr.  Goupil,  and  some 
others,  had  accompanied  the  great  painter  Jerome  in 
his  travel  to  Egypt  and  Petra.  Between  conversation 
and  reading,  while  the  steamer  was  gliding  swiftly  on 
the  smooth  water,  with  continuous  fine  weather,  the 
time  passed  pleasantly  and  rapidly,  and  it  was  the  first 
time  I  had  ever  really  enjoyed  a  sea  voyage. 


THE   NILOMETEE   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  309 

My  "  diary  "  is  ended  ;  our  journey  is  drawing  to  a 
close.  We  have  floated  along  that  river  whose  wondrous 
ruins  of  by-gone  ages  confound  the  imagination  of  the 
historian  ;  whose  history,  plainly  written  on  the  imper- 
ishable stone,  is  easily  read,  but,  alas  !  in  a  language 
utterly  dead ;  the  manners  and  customs  of  whose  people 
so  wonderfully  assimilate  to  those  of  their  predecessors 
as  we  see  them  depicted  on  the  temple  walls. 

We  have  roamed  through  the  land  and  left  our  feeble 
footprints  on  the  "sacred  soil"  trodden  by  our  Saviour; 
rested  in  that  land  of  Caanan  which  the  children  of 
Israel  found  overflowing  with  milk  and  honey  after 
their  sojourn  of  forty  years  in  the  desert ;  passed  over 
the  condemned  ground  near  the  sites  of  the  accursed 
cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah ;  stood  with  mingled 
awe  and  reverence  on  the  shore  of  the  Sea  of  Miracles; 
gazed  on  the  gigantic  constructions  of  unknown,  per- 
haps antediluvian  races ;  and  are  speeding  northward 
with  the  almost  bewildering  recollections  branded  on 
our  brains. 

We  visited  Cyprus,  and  Rhodes,  interesting  by  its 
street  of  chevaliers,  the  walls  of  whose  houses  still  re- 
tain the  escutcheons  of  the  ancient  families  of  France, 
Spain,  Italy,  and  Germany. 

In  Smyrna,  beautifully  situated,  surrounded  by  a  rich 
country,  with  a  bright  and  azure  sky,  we  remained  two 
days ;  one  of  which  was  spent  in  visiting  the  bazars 
and  the  bridge  of  the  caravans,  which  is  one  of  the 
greatest  curiosities  of  Smyrna,  as  the  brook  which  runs 
beneath  it  is  the  Meles,  on  whose  shore  it  is  said  Homer 
was  born. 


310  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE   SACKED   SOIL. 

The  next  day  was  occupied  with  an  excursion  to  the 
ruins  of  Ephesus.  As  nearly  all  the  passengers  by  our 
steamer  were  desirous  of  making  this  visit,  a  special 
train  was  engaged,  and  we  were  soon  " on  the  rail" 
speeding  at  a  rapid  rate  through  a  fine  productive 
country  towards  the  site  of  this  once  celebrated  city. 
The  ruins  occupy  a  large  extent  of  ground,  but  ingenu- 
ity is  at  fault  in  the  attempt  to  locate  the  celebrated 
temple  of  Diana,  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the 
world. 

The  remains  of  an  immense  aqueduct — shafts  of  fallen 
marble  columns — broken  statues — bases,  plinths,  and 
cornices — sarcophagi — pavements — gateways — are  scat- 
tered over  acres  in  confused  masses,  overgrown  with 
grass  and  bushes,  or  half  buried  in  the  accumulated  dust 
of  ages. 

Perhaps  the  most  interesting  of  these  ruins  is  that  of 
an  immense  theatre,  the  auditorium  of  which  is  scooped 
out  from  a  hill-side,  and  capable  of  accommodating  an 
audience  of  one  hundred  thousand. 

Commerce  made  Ephesus  the  great  and  wealthy  city 
which  it  once  was;  but  an  earthquake  has  probably 
altered  the  lay  of  the  land,  for  what  appears  to  have 
been  a  quay  is  at  the  present  time  several  miles  from 
navigable  water. 

Leaving  Smyrna  the  following  day,  we  skirted  along 
the  coast  of  Asia  Minor,  near  the  plain  where  once  stood 
Troy ;  passed  the  island  of  Tenedos,  behind  which  the 
Grecian  fleet  hid  while  trying  the  ruse  of  the  wooden 
horse ;  and  the  promontories  whereon  are  the  tombs  of 
Achilles  and  Patroclus ;  made  the  passage  of  the  Dar- 


THE   MILOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  311 

danelles,  where  Leander  swam  from  Cestos  to  Abydos 
for  love,  and  got  his  Hero ;  and  Byron  swam  for  fame, 
and  got — a  cold;  and  arrived  at  Constantinople  on 
Tuesday,  May  18  th. 

Constantinople  is  admirably  situated  on  seven  hills. 
On  one  side  the  Sea  of  Marmora,  on  another  the  Golden 
Horn  and  the  Bosphorus  add  to  its  enchanting  aspect. 
But  the  interior  of  the  city  does  not  correspond  with  its 
external  appearance.  The  streets  are  long,  narrow,  and 
so  badly  paved  that  it  is  impossible  for  Europeans  to 
walk  through  them  for  any  length  of  time.  There  are 
a  great  many  horses,  numerous  sedan-chairs  with  por- 
ters, but  few  carriages. 

On  our  arrival  the  hotels  were  so  crowded  that  we 
could  not  at  first  obtain  rooms,  but  after  hunting  for  an 
hour  or  two  we  succeeded  in  securing  an  excellent  suite, 
of  which  Tom,  Aline,  and  I  took  possession,  while  the 
gentlemen  of  our  party  found  accommodations  in  a  house 
opposite. 

Having  hired  a  carriage  by  the  day,  we  thus  visited 
without  fatigue  all  objects  of  interest  in  and  about  the 
city.  Our  guide  conducted  us  first  to  the  Serai',  a  palace 
which  was  built  by  Mahommed  II.  The  gardens  are 
beautiful ;  but  the  palace  itself  possesses  nothing  of  in- 
terest. We  afterwards  visited  the  ancient  Church  of 
St.  Irene,  constructed  by  Constantine  the  Great,  and 
which  to-day  is  transformed  into  an  armory ;  thence  to 
St.  Sophia,  the  celebrated  mosque  of  which  we  had 
heard  so  much. 

Having  been  told  that  it  was  handsomer  than  St. 
Peter's  in  Rome,  every  one  of  the  party,  excepting  my- 


312  THE   NILOMETEK   AND   THE    SACKED    SODL. 

self,  having  seen  the  latter,  naturally  anticipated  some- 
thing still  grander.  As  is  often  the  case,  when  one 
expects  too  much,  disappointment  follows.  It  is  cer- 
tainly a  magnificent  mosque.  The  materials  employed 
in  its  construction  are  of  excessive  richness,  while  the 
cupola  is  admirable ;  but  I  much  prefer  the  Cathedral 
of  Milan  ;  and  all  the  gentlemen  gave  the  preference  to 
St.  Peter's  at  Rome. 

After  having  seen  St.  Sophia,  we  next  visited  the 
Mosque  of  Suleiman,  then  that  of  Achmed,  and  the 
tomb  of  the  Sultan  Mahmoud,  and  that  of  Iloxalana, 
celebrated  in  the  "  Arabian  Nights,"  and  several  others. 

In  returning  we  saw  the  obelisk  of  Theodosius,  a 
monolith  of  pink  granite,  brought  from  Egypt;  the 
serpentine  column,  in  bronze,  which  is  believed  to  be 
the  one  which  at  the  Temple  of  Delphos  supported  the 
tripod  of  Apollo ;  and  the  burnt  pyramid,  which  has 
lost  all  its  gilding,  and  threatens  daily  to  fall,  a  mass  of 
ruins.  We  descended  into  the  cistern  of  the  thousand 
and  one  columns,  which  really  has  only  two  hundred 
and  twenty-four. 

During  our  sojourn  at  Constantinople  we  employed 
one  day  in  making  a  charming  excursion  on  the  Bos- 
phorus.  Its  waters  are  bordered  on  either  shore  by  ele- 
gant palaces  and  villas,  the  hills  beyond  covered  with 
trees  and  vegetation.  No  English,  Italian,  or  American 
lake  can  rival  the  Bosphorus  in  beauty. 

At  Bayuk-Dere,  where  the  steamer  left  us,  we  took  a 
small  boat,  were  rowed  to  the  Black  Sea,  and  returned 
the  same  evening  to  Constantinople. 

From  the  tower  of  Galatea  a  magnificent  view  is  ob- 


THE   NTLOMETER   AND   THE   SACKED    SOIL.  313 

tained  over  the  city.     The  bazars  are  similar  to  those 
of  Cairo  and  Damascus. 

Friday  is  the  Mussulman's  Sunday.  The  inhabitants 
go  to  the  Sweet  "Waters  of  Europe,  as  a  place  of  recrea- 
tion to  pass  the  day,  taking  their  lunch  there,  pro- 
tected from  the  hot  rays  of  the  sun  by  the  fine  old  trees 
that  border  the  shore,  and  presenting,  by  the  diversity 
and  brilliancy  of  their  costumes,  a  coup  cCceil  truly  fairy- 
like. Having  hired  a  caique — a  long  and  narrow  boat, 
in  which  it  is  necessary  to  sit  in  the  Oriental  fashion  if 
you  do  not  wish  to  be  upset — we  were  rowed  through  ■ 
the  Golden  Horn  and  up  the  valley  of  the  Sweet  "Waters. 
The  river  was  crowded  with  these  singular  crafts,  and 
we  there  met  an  elegant  one,  richly  decorated,  belong- 
ing to  the  French  Ambassador,  occupied  by  Mr.  Bonnat 
and  his  friends. 

On  the  23d  of  May  we  left  Constantinople  on  board 
the  French  messagerie  steamer,  and  having  been  favored 
with  a  smooth  sea,  landed  on  the  25th  at  the  Piraeus ; 
whence  a  drive  of  three-quarters  of  an  hour  brought  us 
to  Athens. 

Little  is  left  of  ancient  Athens  but  its  Acropolis, 
which  overlooks  the  modern  city,  giving  it  a  grand  and 
imposing  appearance.  The  city  is  entirely  European  in 
character ;  its  streets  are  all  wide,  straight,  macadamized, 
and  have  handsome  sidewalks.  The  palace  of  the  king 
is  surrounded  by  fine  gardens.  The  inhabitants  are 
cleanly,  presenting  a  lively,  intelligent  appearance, 
many  wearing  the  Albanian  costume. 

"We  spent  the  day  after  our  arrival  on  the  Acropolis, 
though  many  persons  content  themselves  with  a  few 
14 


314  THE   NILOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED    SOIL. 

hours'  visit  to  the  ruins.  On  the  southeast  side  of  the 
Acropolis,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ilissus,  we  visited 
the  remains  of  the  Temple  of  Jupiter  Olympus,  com- 
menced by  Pisistratus,  590  b.c,  and  which  was  the 
largest  of  the  temples  of  Athens;  but  sixteen  columns 
remain  standing,  isolated  on  the  plain. 

Passing  under  the  triumphal  arch  of  Adrian,  we  ap- 
proached the  Acropolis,  stopping  at  the  Theatre  of 
Bacchus,  of  which,  six  or  seven  years  ago,  but  few  re- 
mains were  visible ;  but  since  then  it  has  been  excavated 
by  a  Prussian  commission,  and  now  you  see  a  great  por- 
tion of  it  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  its  splendor,  exposing 
to  view  the  auditorium,  with  the  lower  tiers  of  benches, 
as  well  as  the  arm-chairs  of  marble  used  by  the  priests 
and  the  nobles,  and  on  which  you  can  still  read  the 
owners'  names,  while  a  little  higher  than  the  others  is  a 
chair  with  the  name  of  the  Emperor  Adrian  inscribed  on 
its  front.  The  stage  has  disappeared,  the  statues  are 
broken,  the  sculptures  destroyed,  and  you  see  but  frag- 
ments of  what  was  once  the  perfection  of  art. 

Passing  still  further  on,  we  arrived  at  the  Odeon  of 
Herod  Atticus,  on  the  southern  declivity  of  the  Acro- 
polis, and  which  was  erected  by  him  in  honor  of  his 
wife  Regallia. 

From  the  top  of  the  Acropolis  we  beheld  before  us 
the  Areopagus,  between  the  Acropolis  and  the  Hill  of 
the  Nymphs ;  to  the  left  the  Pnyx,  where  the  popular 
assemblies  of  the  Athenians  took  place,  and  Demosthe- 
nes swayed  the  public  mind  for  peace  or  war ;  and  in 
the  far  distance,  in  an  opening  between  some  of  the 
hills,  we  could  see  the  Acropolis  of  Corinth.     Around 


THE   KILOMETER   AND   THE    SACRED    SOIL.  315 

us  were  the  beautiful  ruins  of  the  Propylons,  the  Temple 
of  Victory,  the  Erechtheion,  and  the  Parthenon.  Be- 
yond, and  towards  the  north,  a  short  distance  below  the 
Areopagus,  were  the  Temple  of  Theseus,  the  modern 
city  occupying  the  plain,  with  its  white  houses,  and  gar- 
dens, while  in  the  distance  beyond,  and  in  a  line  with 
the  king's  palace,  were  Mounts  Hymettus,  celebrated 
still,  as  of  yore,  for  its  honey,  Lycabettus,  and  the  Pen- 
telicon,  whose  quarries  produce  the  most  pure  and 
beautiful  marble  of  the  world. 

The  temples  and  buildings  are  in  a  far  more  ruinous 
condition  than  any  of  us  had  supposed ;  but  that  which 
remains  is  grand,  sublime !  Still,  at  the  risk  of  being 
condemned  for  want  of  good  taste,  we  one  and  all 
agreed  that  the  ruins  of  Balbek  were  finer,  although 
they  have  not  the  same  celebrity.  Aware  that  the  Par- 
thenon is  considered  the  most  perfect  specimen  of  archi- 
tecture in  the  world,  each  hesitated  to  express  an  opin- 
ion ;  but  when  questioned,  first  one,  then  another, 
finally  all,  agreed  to  the  fact  that  we  were  disappointed. 
Certainly  the  Parthenon  is  seen  under  great  disadvan- 
tages, for  what  the  wars  and  earthquakes  spared,  it  was 
ordained  that  the  English  should  destroy,  and  England 
has  nothing  to  boast  of  in  her  Elgin  marbles. 

We  passed  two  entire  days  among  the  ruins,  and  on 
the  third,  while  some  of  the  gentlemen  made  the  ascent 
of  Mount  Pentelicus,  whence  there  is  an  admirable 
view,  Tom  hired  a  carriage,  and  with  Aline  and  myself 
went  to  visit  the  ruins  of  Eleusis,  following  the  Via 
Sacra,  by  which  route  the  processions  annually  passed 
on  their  way  to  celebrate  these  ancient  mysterious  rites. 


316  THE   NLLOMETER   AND   THE    SACKED   SOIL. 

At  Eleusis  we  found  the  remains  of  a  temple,  which, 
were  only  discovered  four  years  ago,  but  what  we  saw 
bore  evidences  of  great  beauty.  Although  much  smaller 
than  the  Parthenon,  it  was  undoubtedly  much  more 
ancient. 

A  fine  view  greeted  our  eyes  from  the  hill  of  the 
Acropolis.  Before  us  lay  the  Gulf  of  Salamis,  where 
Xerxes  with  his  thousand  ships  was  defeated  by  the 
Greeks  480  years  b.  c,  one  of  the  decisive  battles  in 
the  world's  history. 

After  a  week's  sojourn  in  Athens  we  took  the  steamer 
for  Marseilles,  in  company  with  Mr.  Leon  Bonn  at,  and 
stopping  a  few  hours  in  Messina,  several  days  in  Mar- 
seilles and  in  Cannes,  where  we  visited  some  friends, 
arrived  in  Paris  the  11th  of  June,  after  an  absence  of 
six  months  and  fifteen  days. 


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8 


BOOKS  PUBLISHED  BY  G.  W.  CARLETON 


Miscellaneous  "Works. 

Warwick. — A  novel  by  Mansfield  Tracy  Walworth 
regina,  and  other  Poems. — By  Eliza  Cruger. 

TIIE  WICKEDEST  WOMAN  IN  NEW  YORK. — By  C.  H.  Webb 

montalban. — A  new  American  novel. 
mademoiselle  MERQUEM.— A  novel  by  George  Sand 
the  impending  crisis  of  THE  soutii. — By  H.  R.  Helper 
nojoque — A  Question  for  a  Continent. —  do. 

temple  nouSE. — A  novel  by  Elizabeth  Stoddard. 
paris  in  1867. — By  Henry  Morford. 
TnE  bishop's  son. — A  novel  by  Alice  Cary. 
cruise  of  the  Alabama  and  sumter. — By  Capt.  Semmes, 
nELEN  courtenay. — A  novel,  author  "  Vernon  Grove.'1 
souvenirs  of  travel. — By  Madame  Octavia  W.  LeVert 
vanquished. — A  novel  by  Agnes  Leonard. 
will-o'-the-wisp. — A  child's  book,  from  the  German 
four  oaks. — A  novel  by  Kamba  Thorpe. 
TnE  Christmas  font. — A  child's  book,  by  M.  J.  Holmes 
Alice  of  MONMouTn. — By  Edmund  C.  Stedman. 
the  lost  cause  regained. — By  Edward  A.  Pollard. 
malbrook. — A  new  American  novel. 

POEMS,  BY  SARAH  T.  BOLTON.      .... 

lives  of  john  s.  mosby  and  men. — With  portraits. 
the  snENENDOAn. — History  of  the  Confederate  Cruiser, 
mary  brandegee. — A  novel  by  Cuyler  Pine. 
rensoawe —  do.  do. 

memorials  of  Junius  brutus  BooTn — (The  Elder  Actor) 
mount  calvary. — By  Matthew  Hale  Smith. 

LOVE-LIFE  OF  DR.  ELISHA  K.  KANE  AND  MARGARET  FOX. 

prometheus  in  Atlantis. — A  prophecy. 
"itan  agonistes. — An  American  novel. 
cnoLERA. — A  handbook  on  its  treatment  and  cure. 
the  montanas. — A  novel  by  Sallie  J.  Hancock. 
pastimes  with  little  friends. — Martha  Haines  Butt 
life  of  james  Stephens. — The  Fenian  Head-Centre 
treatise  on  deafness. — By  Dr.  E.  B.  Lighthill. 
around  the  pyramids. — By  Gen.  Aaron  Ward. 
cniNA  and  TnE  cniNESE. — By  W.  L.  G.  Smith. 
Edgar  poe  and  his  critics. — By.  Mrs.  Whitman. 
married  off. — An  Illustrated  Satirical  Poem. 

TnE  RUSSIAN  BALL. —     do.       v  do. 
THE  SNOBLACE  BALL. —    do.  do. 

an  answer  to  HUGH  miller. — By  Thomas  A.  Davies 

cosmogony. — By  Thomas  A.  Davies. 

rural  architecture. — By  M.  Field.     Illustrated. 


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A.  A.  SARD'S 

Private  Library. 


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